The Reddick Mansion Association

William Reddick left his house as a gift to the City of Ottawa for use as a public library and reading room.  Reddick's home became known as “Reddick's Library” and opened to the public on September 19, 1888.  It served as the public library until 1975 when a combination of endowment and revenue sharing funds enable construction of a larger facility that could accommodate the library's growing collections.

Interested readers are encouraged to click here to view a report on the origins of the Reddick Mansion Association. The report was written in 1992 by R. A. McClevey, Jr.

After Reddick's Library relocated to its present location, the future of the Reddick house was in doubt.  The Reddick Mansion Association came into being as a result of a series of public meetings and the formation of a “Save Reddick's Committee” in the spring and summer of 1974.  The Corporation itself was chartered in 1974 and its management is carried on by a Board of Directors elected by the membership.

In January 1975, a study was performed by Dr. Paul Sprague, a historical preservation and urban conservation consultant, together with William B. Dring of Bauhs and Dring Architects and Planners.  The objective of their study was to make recommendations for the continued administration of the building as a viable public building.  In accordance with these recommendations, the Association has engaged in various fund raising projects for the historic restoration of the property and for the purchase of furnishings and artifacts.  In recent years, despite the Association's hope to make the mansion self-sufficient, fund raising has been necessary to meet the operating expenses.