- Wesley Temple was built in 1848 as a Methodist church for Quebec City’s English speakers
- It became a library and lecture centre for the Institut Canadien du Québec in 1944
- That use ended in 1999
- It reopened in 2015 as the Maison de la littérature public library
A 19th-century Methodist church in Quebec City has become a public library that brings together the city’s communities, Broadview Magazine reported in February 2024.
Wesley Temple was built in 1848 to serve the English-speaking Methodist community. In 1944 it became the main library and lecture venue of the Institut Canadien du Québec, a francophone literary organisation that is 175 years old. That use ended in 1999. After renovation, the building reopened to the public in 2015 as the Maison de la littérature, a public library.
Staff say the building’s history is part of its appeal. “Tourists are generally attracted by the heritage aspect,” said Jean-Philippe Marcoux-Fortier, who added that “Visitors and residents appreciate working in a space with an historic architectural style.” Alice Vermandele said “the Maison de la littérature distinguishes itself by its dynamism.”
The Wesley Temple story shows that a church can outlive its congregation and still serve the public, here by passing through several owners and uses over more than 170 years.
For Jamaica, where many historic church buildings stand in town centres, a library, archive or cultural centre is one of the most popular new uses when a congregation moves or closes. Such uses keep a landmark open to the public, respect its heritage and suit large, open interiors. Councils, heritage bodies and diaspora groups could work with churches to find similar futures for buildings that would otherwise stand empty.
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