Our History
Learn More About Our Past
The Board of Directors, Dr. John Beamish, Steve Kylie, Lee Ann Quinn, John Martyn, Dawn Berry Merriam Nancy Sharpe, Betty Halman-Plumley, Lynn Taylor. (absent Su Musclow, Michael VanDerHerberg, Sister Eileen McManus and Murray Rodd)
In January of 2012, the property of the Peterborough Sisters of St. Joseph, known as the Mount St. Joseph, was listed for sale. This property, with its 132,000 square foot convent and 10 acres of land had been the Motherhouse of the Sisters since 1895. When their membership started to decline, the congregation decided to build a new residence adjacent to the original building. The women moved to their new home in 2009.
Upon seeing the listing, the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network saw the possibilities. Through 2012 and into 2013, volunteer committees investigated the challenges of restoring the building for affordable housing. They concluded that while the renovations would be a difficult process, it was possible, and the Peterborough Poverty Network purchased the property on August 2, 2013.
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The Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network transferred ownership to the newly incorporated not for profit in December of 2013 and renamed the Mount St. Joseph to what it is known as today – the Mount Community Centre. After a significant amount of construction and hard work, the first 43 affordable apartments opened in the fall of 2016. Since then, 36 more apartments have been built. In addition to affordable apartments, the Mount Community Centre is home to several non-residential tenants, a state-of-the-art food centre and assembly rooms for community use.
History of 1545 Monaghan Road
The Mount Community Centre, originally called the Mount St. Joseph, began as a Motherhouse for the Peterborough Sisters of St. Joseph in early 1895. Since then, the original building and grounds have shifted, changed, and been repurposed in many ways. Learn more about the Mount across the years, through descriptions, photos, and a detailed timeline that explores the deep history of this property.
1893 – The Sisters of St. Joseph purchased the “Inglewood” property and its ten acres of farmland. It cost them $6,350.00.
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Autumn 1894 – The lease of the tenant living in the “Inglewood” property expired. The Sisters of St. Joseph then quickly cleaned and redecorated their new home, making it their own.
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New Year’s Day, 1895 – The property finally became ready for occupancy by the Sisters, and it was blessed by Right Reverend R.A. O’Connor. On this day, the home became the Motherhouse for the Peterborough Sisters of St. Joseph – known as the Mount St. Joseph. The very next morning, on January 2nd, the Sisters held their first Mass.
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Summer, 1904 – The Mount was enlarged, and a new wing was added. This wing included a larger chapel, a novitiate, a classroom, a sewing room, a kitchen, and sleeping quarters that would accommodate 24 more Sisters.
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1906 – Electric lighting was installed throughout the Mount.
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1911 – Another new wing was added onto the north side of the Mount, in order to accommodate the rapidly growing congregation of Sisters. It also provided quarters for the resident Chaplain, a community room, and a reception room. Additionally, a third story was added onto the original building.
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December, 1912 – 20 additional acres of farmland was purchased to the north of the Mount.
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December, 1927 – A five acre lot with a house was purchased.
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February, 1932 – Another ten acres were bought to the west of the Mount. This lot also included a well-maintained house.
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1934 – In this year, there were a number of important renovations to the Mount. The grand gothic chapel, known today as the Austin Doran Hall, was built by the Piggott Construction Company. The old chapel, which served the Sisters from 1904 to 1934, was repurposed into the event space now known as the Auditorium. Additionally, a laundry system and central heating was installed.
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Summer, 1949 – The house that was purchased in 1932 was renovated, and electricity and water were installed.
1952 – In this year, Eastwood Construction added an infirmary wing, more sleeping accommodations, and the Mount’s first elevator.
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October 26th, 1969 – The south wing of The Mount was opened. This included academic and music departments, a floor of offices, an infirmary on the second floor, and bedrooms on the third floor.
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1971 – In this year, the National Heritage Company redesigned and renovated the chapel (Austin Doran Hall).
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1975 – In this year, the Medaille Hall was renovated to be used as a centre for the Sisters. The Auditorium was also renovated.
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1976 – In this year, the farmhouse behind the Mount was renovated. It reopened as Woodland Residence, and became a home for women in need.
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1982 – In this year, an accessible swimming pool was added on next to the music and tutorial wing.
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September 1992 – In this year, 18 acres of the property were sold to accommodate the new St. Peter’s High School.
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2009 – The Sisters moved into a new residence built adjacent to the original Mount property, after their membership had started to decline.
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January 2012 – The Mount St. Joseph property was listed for sale by the Peterborough Sisters of St. Joseph.
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2012-2013 – Volunteer committees enlisted by The Peterborough Poverty Network were sent to investigate the Mount, and determine whether it was possible for this historic building to be restored and repurposed for affordable housing.
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August 2nd, 2013 – The Peterborough Poverty Network purchased The Mount St. Joseph.
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December 2013 – The Peterborough Poverty Network transferred ownership to the newly incorporated not for profit and renamed it from the Mount St. Joseph to what it is known as today – the Mount Community Centre.
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Autumn 2016 – The first 43 affordable apartments became available at the Mount.
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2019 – Another 20 apartments were built.
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2021 - Five more apartments were built.
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2025 – Eleven more apartments were built.
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Learn more about the Sisters of St. Joseph, and how they came to reside at the Mount in Peterborough through this website or in "Wide Sleeves: The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada 1851-1951" Written by Veronica O'Reilly with Joan Driscoll available on Indigo.ca
History of 780 Argyle Street
More information to come, stay tuned as we renovate this iconic building into a community hub.
NICHOLLS HOSPITAL
1885 - the first hospital in Peterborough and the 15th in the province opened in an old home donated by Charlotte Jane Nicholls, the widow of Robert Nicholls, a wealthy city merchant. Charlotte purchased the old home, known as Moira Hall, and endowed it with $15,000 for use as a Protestant hospital. Nicholls Hospital at Moira Hall provided only temporary space for the sick.
1889 - the construction of a new hospital on Argyle Street was funded by Mrs. Nicholls. Charlotte liberally endowed the hospital for the future, as a memorial to her husband,
1930 - A nurses' residence and addition were later constructed. The trust funded the hospital until 1930 and then became the community's responsibility - a Civic Hospital.
Bible College
1951 - The Bible college at 780 Argyle Street in Peterborough originated as the Eastern Pentecostal Bible College (EPBC), founded in Toronto in 1939. The college purchased the former Nicholls Hospital building on Argyle Street in 1951.The bible college on Argyle Street in Peterborough was Master's College & Seminary (MCS), historically known as Eastern Pentecostal Bible College. It was a fully accredited Pentecostal leadership institution. The campus and its history offered degrees and certificates in theology and ministry to prepare leaders for Christian and Pentecostal ministries.
1963 & 1974 - Substantial campus additions were built, including the C.B. Smith Memorial Building and the Charles Ratz Education Building
1981 - The original Nicholls Hospital building was demolished and replaced with new dormitory residences
1984 - Launched its Bachelor of Theology degree program
1980’s Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Argyle Street campus was a bustling residential facility hosting over 500 full-time students.
2003 - A new leasing arrangement between Trent University and Master’s College and Seminary was developed to provide a solution for the University to manage the peak enrolments associated with the double cohort beginning in 2003-04. Trent University President Bonnie Patterson stated that the University’s contingency plan had identified several space possibilities as practical options to accommodate the unprecedented double cohort growth, including the leasing of the Master’s College . "The lease will give Trent University access to high quality space that matches the needs of the University. The key benefit of the lease is the flexibility that the Master’s College agreed to incorporate into the structure of the lease, making this option financially viable for Trent. This temporary arrangement is a good fit for the University’s temporary needs and complements Trent’s other building program currently underway."
2009 - following a name change to Master's College and Seminary (MCS), the property was sold to the Peterborough Housing Corporation to be redeveloped into supportive housing for seniors.
2010 - MCS officially sold the property and leased back a smaller portion of the building to continue operations. The college has since consolidated its operations to partner with local churches in Eastern Canada
2025 - The property was purchased by The Mount Community Centre.