In 1982, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) designated April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, a date later adopted by UNESCO during its 22nd General Conference.

The interventions required to protect our heritage monuments—here and elsewhere—are numerous and highly diverse. Large-scale restoration campaigns are certainly important, but most of the time, interventions take the form of more modest work that must be carried out continuously throughout a building’s life. Some of these small- and medium-scale interventions are vital to the survival of both historic and contemporary monuments and are essential to their long-term conservation.

Too often, building owners and/or managers neglect maintenance, which can exponentially accelerate the deterioration of these structures over time. The consequences of such neglect are well documented, and in many cases, by the time owners decide to act, it is already too late. One need only think of the Pollack House in Québec City, Notre-Dame-de-Fatima Church in Saguenay, or Saint-Louis-de-France Church, which is currently facing demolition.

Among smaller-scale interventions, roof maintenance is arguably the most critical, as it provides the building’s primary protection against the elements. Neglecting its watertightness can prove fatal to the structure it shelters.

Fully aware of the importance of our interventions—both technical and architectural—we undertook the mandate from the Commission de la Capitale-Nationale du Québec (CCNQ) to rehabilitate the roof of Villa Cataraqui in Québec City. The nearly $1M project, carried out by Toiture Quatre Saisons, involved the complete replacement of the painted galvanized steel roofing with tinned copper, the addition of natural air intakes, improved attic insulation, and the restoration of a rooftop lantern.

The final result is remarkable and was recently recognized with an Excellence Award from the Association des Maîtres Couvreurs du Québec. We cannot say it often enough: we are fortunate to be able to rely on the expertise of local companies that continue to master the specialized techniques required for this type of work. These skills are invaluable, and as a society, we must ensure they are passed on from one generation to the next.