Description of Historic Place

610 Montreal Street is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Montreal Street and Railway Street, in the City of Kingston. This two storey limestone building was built in 1872-73 to be used as a school.

The property was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act by the City of Kingston on September 13, 1976 (By-law 8913).

Heritage Value

610 Montreal Street contributes to the streetscapes of both Montreal Street and Railway Street and to the overall cultural landscape of the community that developed around the railway facilities in the area.

The Grand Trunk Railway came to the northern part of Kingston in 1854, and at the same time, the inhabitants of the area petitioned the Kingston Public School Board to build a school. In 1864, an empty freight shed was used to house the much needed school, but conditions were less than ideal. A new school was finally constructed by mason Isaac Newlands in 1872-73, to a plan by well-known Kingston architect, John Power. Originally known as Frontenac School, it became the Depot School in 1896. When the school closed in 1970, the building was purchased by the City of Kingston and housed a Day Care facility for many years and the building was known as The Depot School Day Care Centre.

The building was designed in a vernacular style. A simple rectangular plan with a central entrance in the gable end wall was augmented with a symmetrical arrangement of round headed windows on both floors. The two-storey building of coursed limestone is austere but dignified, in keeping with its function. Its architectural detail is concentrated on the front façade and includes the brackets beneath the extended roof boards which make up the eave detail; the wide main entrance accentuated by a semi-circular fanlight and cut stone hood and the round headed windows. The building exemplifies the high level of stonework available in Kingston and underscores the significant contribution of architect John Power to the urban fabric of the city. The restrained design is consistent with the Province's enlightened circa 1860 guidelines regarding the importance of natural light and adequate ventilation to an educational environment. It was thought that symmetry and proportion in design would be translated into a student's outlook and demeanour.

Sources: City of Kingston By-Law 8913, City of Kingston File CHE-P18-031-2004, City of Kingston Building Conservation Master Plan, “Former Depot School Day Care Centre” (April 2004).

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that support the heritage value of 610 Montreal Street include its:
- rectangular footprint and two storey massing
- vernacular style
- three bay gable front
- limestone water table extending around the base of the building
- coursed, hammered-dressed limestone construction with flush quoins
- central six-paneled door, semi-circular fanlight and ashlar hood mould with keystone and label-stops
- side door on the north elevation with flat arch and voussoirs
- fenestration, with round-headed, six over six double hung sash windows on the front façade
- six over six double-hung sash windows, flat arches and voussoirs on the side and rear elevations
- west wall covered by a two storey, shallow, gabled concrete block addition
- brackets under the eaves of the gable ends
- brick chimney at the west end
- key position on the corner of Montreal Street and Railway Street
- contribution to the cultural landscape of the community around the former railway facilities