Renfrew County Courthouse Rejuvenation Project

In 2004 the Ontario government announced $21-million in funding for the rejuvenation of the Pembroke Consolidated Courthouse to fulfill a commitment to the region for more modern and effective justice services.

Situated in the City of Pembroke, Northwest of Ottawa, the historic 140-year old complex was designed by famous architect Henry Horsley and built from 1862 to 1866 using local stone. It included a courthouse, jail, registry building
and later a governor’s residence.

Led by ORC Senior Project Manager Mark Krapez, the project was a collaborative effort between the ORC, the Ministry of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Culture, design firm NORR Ltd., Sullivan Construction, and numerous other consultants.

The project team was presented with several significant challenges beyond simple restoration of weathered and badly patched masonry. The team was tasked with converting the four crumbling 19^th century structures into a thoroughly
modern court complex that met all heritage, security and barrier-free accessibility requirements.

Now complete, both the original courthouse and jail have been faithfully preserved and integrated into a new 75,000 square-foot stone, glass and steel facility that consolidates the Superior and Ontario Courts of Justice with six new
courtrooms and numerous new holding cells. A design highlight is the new multi-storey public atrium that wraps around the original courtroom exposing the historic jail building and several feature walls in a number of new
courtrooms.

"Taking care of Ontario’s Heritage Places requires planning and preparation and the ORC and its team of consultants worked effectively and efficiently on this project to maintain the historical integrity of the courthouse while adapting the
facility to meet the needs of the government,” said Krapez.

The project was recently awarded a Certificate of Merit from the American Institution of Architects Committee on Architecture for Justice.

Attorney General Michael Bryant added that the courthouse, “has been providing the community with justice services since Confederation,” and as the renovations are completed, was proud to say that “the Pembroke Courthouse will continue to serve the area for years to come.”

Click here to view photos (.pdf format)

Photos courtesy of NORR Ltd.