Historic Gatineau Park estate gets second chance as boutique hotel

Tashi Farmilo

The National Capital Commission has signed a lease with Square Old Chelsea to reopen the long-vacant O'Brien House as a boutique hotel and event venue on the shores of Meech Lake this spring, marking the second attempt to bring paying guests to the storied heritage property.

The federal agency announced Tuesday that the Outaouais-based business will operate the property under the name Maison O'Brien, offering 11 guest rooms, event spaces for weddings, meetings and private gatherings, and food and beverage services open to the public.

The agreement comes nearly six years after the estate's previous operator walked away. The NCC spent $3.9 million renovating the property in 2018 and leased it to Wakefield hoteliers Robert Milling and Lynn Berthiaume, who opened it as a boutique hotel that March. The venture lasted less than two years. Milling said in a 2019 social media post that high operating costs exceeded revenues, and the house has sat largely empty since.

Built in 1930, the house was a summer retreat for Renfrew, Ont, industrialist John Ambrose O'Brien. Also known as Kincora Lodge, it sits on a promontory above Meech Lake in Chelsea. O'Brien was a founder of the National Hockey Association in 1909, the league that directly preceded the NHL, and was the founding owner of the Montreal Canadiens, though he held the franchise for only one season before selling it. He was inducted as a builder into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962.

Designed by Ottawa architect Werner Noffke in the Queen Anne Revival style, the two-and-a-half storey structure features a steeply pitched cedar-shingled roof, wood siding milled to resemble logs, and a foundation, terraces and chimney of local granite. The NCC acquired the property in 1964, at a point the organization later described as the building being on the verge of ruin. It was designated a federal heritage building in 1984.

"O'Brien House is truly one of the gems among the 1,664 properties entrusted to the National Capital Commission. We are delighted to see its doors reopen and to witness renewed vitality at a site that holds such a meaningful place in Gatineau Park. This agreement with Square Old Chelsea strengthens our commitment to showcasing and protecting an important part of the National Capital Region's heritage," said Tobi Nussbaum, chief executive officer of the National Capital Commission.

"The relaunch of Maison O'Brien reflects our vision of celebrating heritage and showcasing our region by creating authentic and welcoming gathering spaces," said Manuela Teixeira, chief executive officer of Square Old Chelsea. "Through our collaboration with the NCC and local partners, we aim to highlight the richness of our territory and offer a vibrant space open to all."