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Newman CentreThe Newman Centre, also known as the historical W.D. Matthews House, is a residence and Catholic ministry center located at the corner of Hoskins and St. George Streets, across the street from the Robarts Library on the University of Toronto campus, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Named in honour of John Henry Cardinal Newman, it is under the direction of the Archdiocese of Toronto and is associated with the neighbouring St. Thomas Aquinas Church. The centre provides pastoral services and ministries to the Catholic community, in particular to the Roman Catholic student population within the University of Toronto. A variety of U of T and parish related meetings and social events take place at the center, as well as personal events including weddings, anniversary celebrations, baptisms, and funeral receptions. It is has also been used as a site for movie and television filming. The structure was built in 1890/1891 by wealthy Canadian businessman "The Barley King of Canada" Wilmot Deloui Matthews as his personal home. It is constructed of red clay, terra cotta bricks, plum coloured Credit Valley sandstone and pressed terra cotta decorative elements. To celebrate his daughters wedding, Matthews hired architect George M. Miller and sculptor Gustav Hahn to design an Art Nouveau ballroom for his home. After his death in 1919, the house became a residence for catholic students. Donations from two major benefactors allowed the Newman Foundation to purchase the property in 1922 for the sum of $100,000. As a result, the Newman Centre is today one of Toronto's best preserved examples of Romanesque Revival architecture. It was one of the first buildings in Toronto to receive heritage status from the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 1977, not only for its exterior but also for the intricate and impressive interior design elements. The Archdiocese continues the preservation of the site, despite the great expense. The property originally included a coach house on the current site of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. External link http://www.newmantoronto.com
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