RESTORING the PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY Introduction

Home , East Block, Library of Parliament, Peace Tower, Victoria Tower (Canada), West Block

RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY Introduction In 1992, the government of Canada ern structure that the Library was Focus approved a Long-term Capital Plan renovated and repaired at that time. In 2006 the Library aimed at repairing and renewing some Fifty years later a new renovation was of Parliament, one of the nation’s most cherished build- required—and now it has been restored of the most beautiful buildings in ings—those standing on and around to its original glory. It also has been Canada, reopened Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Over the updated to serve the needs of Canada’s after a four-year next 20 years, it planned to spend more Members of Parliament for many years renovation that than $400-million on the work. to come. went almost $80- The ultimate figure will likely be Unfortunately, not all historic build- million over its original $83-million much higher—probably well over ings have powerful champions, and budget. This News $1-billion. There are probably many every year Canadians lose a bit more of in Review module people who would criticize how the their history and culture to the wrecking looks at the history money was spent and how the project companies. The Heritage Canada of the building and was supervised. Few, however, would Foundation, dedicated to preserving the restoration argue with the need to carry out the some of Canada’s most important effort. We also look at the work of two work—or with the quality of what was heritage buildings, regularly reports on major heritage finally achieved. the loss of many of them. These losses preservation or- Clearly the most magnificent ex- are staggering. “Over the past 30 years, ganizations. ample of what has been accomplished Canada has lost 23 per cent of its early is the restoration of and improvement buildings in urban areas and 21 per cent to the Parliamentary Library. The of building stock in rural areas. This YV Sections Library is the only remaining 19th- rate of destruction is disturbing both in marked with this symbol indicate century part of the original Centre terms of lost heritage and increased content suitable for Block, built in an ornate Victorian environmental waste” younger viewers. Gothic style. It survived the fire of (www.heritagecanada.org/eng/featured/ 1916 and is considered by most archi- lost.html). tectural historians to be one of the Canadians are noted for being some- most important structures in Canada. It what ambivalent about preserving their is also stunningly beautiful. history. Sometimes it seems much You might think that preserving, easier to tear down and build something maintaining, and restoring such a modern, more in keeping with current building would be automatic. How- tastes in architecture and design. Fortu- ever, following a 1952 fire in the nately we have fine examples like the Library’s roof, Canada almost lost the Parliamentary Library to remind us of building. It was only because MPs how the beauty of the past can be made refused to have it replaced by a mod- to well serve the needs of the present.

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 40 For Discussion Can a building built as recently as the 1960s be a heritage building? Toronto’s Inn on the Park (1963) was recently demolished to make way for an automobile dealership. The Inn was, for a long time, the most important and luxurious hotel in Toronto. Many famous people—including the Rolling Stones—stayed there. Others, like pianist Glenn Gould, lived there permanently. In addition, it was considered one of the best examples of architect Peter Dickinson’s work—a landmark “modernist” building.

What factors make a building an important heritage site? In the space below, list at least four or five factors you feel should be considered in declaring a building an important part of a community’s cultural heritage. Compare your list with those of your classmates. Is there a consensus on some of the main factors?

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 41 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY YV Video Review

1. What architectural jewel has recently been restored in Canada? Answer the ques- tions in the spaces provided while 2. What makes the Parliamentary Library so special? reviewing the video.

Archives To view audio- 3. Who chose the location for Canada’s Parliament Buildings? visual material on important historic events that took place on Parliament 4. When was the Library of Parliament completed? ______Hill, consider a visit to the CBC Digital 5. What tragedy befell the Parliament Buildings in 1916? Archives at www.cbc.ca/ archives and ex- 6. What damaged the Library of Parliament in 1952? plore the files, “Fire destroys Parliament Buildings,” “Mon- 7. What was the most complex and dangerous work during the most recent day, October 17, renovations? 1977,” and ”First official Canadian flag raised.”

8. What object sits atop the crown of the Library of Parliament?

9. How important is it in your opinion to keep the Parliament Buildings in good working order? Explain.

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 42 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY The Jewel in the Crown

Without a doubt, Canada’s Parliament original section have been restored to Further Research Buildings are the most famous heritage their appearance at the time of Confed- You can take a buildings in the country. Photographs of eration. virtual tour of both Parliament Hill and the Centre Block (where both the House the Library of of Commons and the Senate meet) are “The Most Beautiful Room in Parliament at immediately recognizable not only to Canada” www.360360.com/ Canadians, but also to people around The Library of Parliament has often nonrail/caparl.html, the world. been described as the most beautiful and at As you might expect, the Centre www.parliament room in Canada, and the building that hill.gc.ca/text/ Block of Parliament sits in the very contains it as the jewel in the crown that explorethehill_e.html. centre of a complex of buildings on is Parliament Hill. The Library was Ottawa’s Parliament Hill. The existing built slightly later than most of the building is not original, but was erected original Centre Block (it was completed after a fire in 1916 destroyed the Victo- in 1876), but in a similar Victorian Did you know . . . The 1910 addition rian Gothic structure built in the 1860s Gothic style. It remains one of the most to the East Block and 1870s. The Centre Block is sur- significant examples of that style in included six “mas- rounded by three buildings that formed North America. sive vaults, origi- part of the original grouping on the Hill. The building and the Library it con- nally used for These include the West Block, the East tains are magnificent, and they are the storing the nation’s Block and—attached to the Centre highlight of any tour of Parliament Hill. financial treasures before the Bank of Block by a short passageway—the The Library was modelled on the Canada was con- Library of Parliament. reading room at the British Museum. It structed. Rumours is round (actually 16-sided), designed have circulated for The West Block so that a person standing at the centre years that gold was The West Block was constructed (in can look toward any bookshelf in the once kept here. The vaults have been 1865) to house the offices of the Post- reading room. Standing in that very converted to office master General, Public Works, and centre is a marble statue of Queen space, but the Crown Lands. It has been extensively Victoria —Canada’s sovereign when original doors have extended and renovated, and it now the Library was completed. been preserved” contains the offices of ministers and The exterior is in the most elaborate (www.parliament members of Parliament. Gothic style, with flying buttresses, hill.gc.ca/text/ exploreeast decorative stonework and ironwork, and block_e.html). The East Block elaborate windows. All of this is The East Block, whose construction crowned by a circular lantern—a dome coincided with that of the West Block, designed to cast natural light onto the originally contained the offices of the floor many metres below. Like the governor general, the prime minister original Centre Block, it is mostly and members of the Privy Council. constructed of sandstone (the new In 1910 a new wing was added at the Centre Block is largely limestone). rear of the building, very different in The interior has been restored to its style from the original. The building original appearance in 1876. It is as now houses offices for a number of elaborate as the exterior. What im- senators. Many of the rooms in the presses the viewer first is all the wood.

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 43 The woodwork—bookshelves, panel- ful, it is also the information and re- Definition ling, and furniture—is mostly pine. It is search centre for Canada’s members of A flying buttress is all elaborately carved and polished. Parliament and Senate and for their a support on the outside of a build- The Library’s floors are glass, de- staffs. It houses an extensive collection ing designed to signed to ensure that as much light as of more than 600 000 books, and has help hold up a wall. possible permeates the entire room. The been upgraded to provide all modern It projects from a plaster walls above the woodwork are research technologies. Much of the point at ground painted white and decorated with blue collection is housed in basement quar- level to the wall and gold trim. ters below the Library. The Library has itself. But while the Library may be beauti- a staff of over 50. Inquiry Did you know . . . 1. What evidence is there that the Library of Parliament is both beautiful A picture of the and functional? Library of Parlia- ment appears on the new $10 Cana- dian bill. The old $20 bill—some of which are still in circulation—also shows the Library. 2. Describe a building in your community that is both beautiful and functional.

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 44 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY Restoring a Gem’s Lustre

Restoring the most beautiful room in inadequate. The building was often too Further Research Canada didn’t come cheap. The restora- hot, too damp, and too poorly venti- Extensive information and upgrade of the Library cost lated. Not only the collection, but also tion on the renovation is available at over $136-million. the people who worked there, suffered the Government of The last major work on the Library of as a result of the building’s dilapidation. Canada Web site at Parliament had taken place after a fire www.parliament in 1952. The 1952 fire was caused by Public Works to the Rescue hill.gc.ca/text/ an electrical problem in the dome, 40 In 1992, Public Works and Government cmplbr/lbrprl- metres above the Library floor. Fire e.html. Highly Services Canada received approval of a recommended is fighters chopped holes in the roof to Long-term Capital Plan that would the Macromedia pour water on the flames. A large part promote the restoration and the renewal Flash presentation of the book collection suffered water of a number of facilities on and near on the renovation damage—almost a million litres of Parliament Hill. Work on all facilities at www.parliament water poured down over the books. was to be completed by 2013. At that hill.gc.ca/text/ cmplbr/Librarywork Even books in the underground vaults time, the total estimated cost of all videos_e.html. suffered damage. renewal projects was $483-million. The Library was closed and Parlia- By 1999 renewal costs were soaring, ment was asked to decide on its fate. and renovation of the Library and the Should it be restored, or should it be West Block were put on hold and under torn down and replaced with a modern review. The decision was made to building? The decision was a fortunate proceed—despite anticipated costs of one for future Canadians. Recognizing $83-million for the Library alone—and the building’s unique beauty and place the Library was closed in 2002. The in Canadian history, Parliament ordered Library’s collection was moved off the its restoration. Hill until work was completed. It was While considerable work was done to anticipated that the collection would be make the Library once again functional, back on the Hill by the end of 2005. the 1952-1956 renovation failed to address many basic problems. Even A Most Complex Renovation when first constructed, the Library was The work required proved to be espe- too small for its collection. The situa- cially challenging. Making space for the tion had hardly improved when the expanding collection and the new building re-opened in 1956. By the mechanical room meant increasing the 1990s it was bursting at the seams. So size of the basement. Doing so involved many books were stored in the base- removing 815 cubic metres of bedrock ment that they were interfering with the down to 14 metres below the level of workings of the fire sprinkler system. the reading room—without ever using Patchwork repairs continued between dynamite. This work provided two new the 1950s and the 1990s, but the build- levels for storage, as well as a third ing continued to deteriorate during that level totally devoted to the electrical period. The outside walls were decay- and mechanical systems for the Library. ing, and the roof and many of the Outside, the masonry was cleaned, windows leaked. The wiring and other repaired, and repointed. All of the building infrastructure were totally original antique ironware was removed,

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 45 repaired, repainted in its original colour, duce the original parquet design of the and returned to its place. The entire reading room floor. The upper level lantern at the top of the roof was re- solid floors, installed in the 1950s, were moved and lowered to the ground replaced with glass floors that dupli- where it was repaired. A new copper cated the originals. (The glass meant roof was installed. The original win- that more light fell in the reading room dows were repaired, and new thermal during the daylight hours.) window panes that matched the original Shortly before the Library reopened, designs were installed to help with Lynn Brodie, the Director of Collec- indoor climate control. tions, summed up the importance of the Inside, work was both functional and Library for Canadians (The Globe and cosmetic. Ducts and mechanical and Mail, July 19, 2006): “I think it’s the electrical conduits were completely most beautiful room in the country. updated. The original carved pine Certainly it’s the most beautiful room in shelving was restored. Plasterwork was Ottawa. . . . It really demonstrates the cleaned and upgraded, and painted to talent, and the pride Canadians should match the original 1876 colour scheme. have, in this country’s early artisans.” The marble statue of Queen Victoria The renovation also demonstrates that that stands in the middle of the reading those talents are alive and well in the room was thoroughly cleaned. 21st century. More than 600 talented For many, the most dramatic change tradespeople worked long and hard to was to the Library floors. Craftspeople restore this great building to its original used oak, cherry, and walnut to repro- beauty.

Growing Costs: Canada’s Parliamentary Library: • Cost to build in 1859-1876: $304 858 • Cost to repair and renovate after fire, 1952-1956: $2 398 000 • Cost to repair and renovate, 2002-2006: $136 000 000

Here are some facts and figures from the Government of Canada Web site (www.parliamenthill.gc.ca/text/cmplbr/dyknw-e.html) to give you an idea of the extent of the renovation: • Amount of steel used in the scaffolding: 70 tonnes • Area of fabric used to cover the scaffolding: 5 817 square metres (the size of 375 hockey rinks) • Amount of bedrock removed (without any blasting) to accommodate new basement space under Library: 4 815 cubic metres (approximately equal to half of the Peace Tower) • Amount of grout used to stabilize the building structure: 213 metric tonnes • Length of masonry joints raked and repointed: 20 km (there are 23 km of joints on the south facade of the Centre Block.) • Number of lead-pane windows repaired or replaced: 147 • Area of new parquet floor: 444.7 square metres. Oak, cherry, walnut woods. • Amount of copper roofing installed: 2 075 square metres • Number of people involved in this project since planning started in 1995: over 1 200

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 46 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY YV The Fire of 1916

Canada’s original Parliament buildings began. He had to escape by crawling on Further Research pre-date Confederation. Construction of his hands and knees to avoid the thick A five-minute the three original buildings began in smoke. A clerk burst into the House of audio clip of a 1966 CBC documentary 1859, and the Prince of Wales laid the Commons and alerted the members. on the 1916 fire is cornerstone for the complex on Septem- They fled; and, as they did so, many available from the ber 1, 1860. Construction was com- grabbed articles of furniture and paint- CBC Archives at pleted—except for the Victoria Tower ings, rescuing whatever they could. archives.cbc.ca/IDC- and the Library —in 1866. The govern- There was little the firefighters could 1-70-2070-12870-11/ disasters_tragedies/ ment sat there for the first time on June do. By the time they arrived much of TWT/. An excellent 8, 1866. the interior of the building was engulfed series of photo- Two additions to the legislative in flames. graphs taken of the building were completed in the 1870s: By midnight the central tower (the fire and its after- the Library (1876) and the Victoria Victoria Tower) had collapsed, and the math can be found Tower (1878). The Victoria Tower was interior of the building —with the at the About: Canada Online the 19th-century equivalent of today’s exception of the Library—had been Web site at http:// Peace Tower. A northwest wing was destroyed. The fire was thought to be canadaonline.about.com/ added between 1906 and 1909. under control by the early morning, but od/parliament/ig/ re-developed later in the Senate. Parliament-Build- Fire! Firefighters continued to pour water on ings-Fire/index.htm. The fire that destroyed the Centre Block it throughout the day. of Canada’s Parliament Building began Seven people were killed. Among Did you know . . . about 8:30 in the evening of February 3, them were two observers—guests of the At the time of the 1916. It began in a reading room near Speaker and his wife—who returned to Library’s construc- the House of Commons chamber. the building to retrieve their fur coats. tion the Parliamen- Debate on the 20-mile deep-sea-fishing One MP—Bowman Brown Law from tary librarian, Alpheus Todd, limit was taking place at the time. Yarmouth, NS—and an assistant clerk insisted that the The room in which the fire began was of the House also died in the building. Library be almost a wood-panelled and littered with news- A policeman and two government separate building papers and journals. A member of employees died when a falling wall from the main Parliament spotted a small fire (likely crushed them. legislature. He also caused by a smouldering cigar left in a Library clerk Connolly MacCormac demanded heavy iron doors—a wastebasket). Rather than trying to saved the Parliamentary Library’s safety precaution in smother it, he sent an employee for a collection by closing the iron doors (the case of fire. fire extinguisher. last iron doors remaining in the com- By the time the employee returned, it plex) that separated the Library from was too late. The fire quickly took hold the rest of the buildings. and spread through the east end of the Because Canada was fighting in the Centre Block, which had recently had First World War at the time, arson was its wooden walls oiled and its floors immediately suspected. Montreal varnished. The conditions for a major Mayor Médéric Martin’s declaration conflagration were perfect. was typical: “The fire was put!” (http:// The Prime Minister, Robert Borden, archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-70-2070-12870- was working in his office when the fire 11/disasters_tragedies/TWT/). Even

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 47 after the cause was determined to most auditorium became the House of Com- Did you know . . . likely have been a cigar left unattended, mons Chamber, and business was The Victoria Memo- accusations of German sabotage contin- conducted there for the first time in the rial Museum was closed to the ued in the press. afternoon of the day after the fire. public, and its art Despite the war, the rebuilding of collection was off A Temporary Home Parliament began almost immediately— exhibit, until 1921. Parliament’s temporary home became in July 1916. The Duke of Connaught, It “solved its di- the Victoria Memorial Museum (now the Governor General, laid the new lemma in part by cornerstone on September 1, 1916. The developing its the Canadian Museum of Nature). The exhibition loan gallery was told to empty its exhibition main building was completed in 1922. programs. Between rooms within 36 hours. The building’s The Peace Tower was finished in 1927. 1916 and 1921 the Art Gallery sent out Analysis 94 exhibitions to 1. What was the material and human cost of the fire in 1916? cities across Canada, with little damage” (http:// canadaonline.about.com/ od/parliament/ig/ Parliament-Build- ings-Fire/Tempo- rary-Home-for- 2. Why do you think that a new feature, The Peace Tower, was built in 1927? Parliament.htm).

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 48 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY Heritage in Canada

On November 30, 2006, just before this the department describes its responsi- Further Research News in Review module went to press, bilities as follows: “Canadian Heritage The official Govern- The Globe and Mail published an is responsible for national policies and ment of Canada Department of article titled “Big Cash for Cultural programs that promote Canadian con- Canadian Heritage Buildings.” The article reported that tent, foster cultural participation, active Web site is at Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda citizenship and participation in www.pch.gc.ca/ would announce on December 4 that six Canada’s civic life, and strengthen index_e.cfm. The of Canada’s most important cultural connections among Canadians.” Heritage Canada institutions would be given $100- As you can imagine from that de- Foundation’s Web site is at million for repairs and upgrades to their scription, Canadian Heritage has many www.heritagecanada.org/ buildings. responsibilities beyond the upkeep of eng/main.html. Five of the six institutions mentioned the federal government’s main cultural in the article are some of the most buildings. These include: promoting all important in the Ottawa area: the Na- aspects of Canadian art and culture; Did you know . . . tional Gallery of Canada, the Museum highlighting Canadian citizenship and One of the build- of Civilization, the Science and Tech- identity, nurturing multiculturalism and ings to be renewed nology Museum, the National Arts diversity; and developing special pro- under Canadian Centre, and the Canadian Museum of grams for youth. In addition, the depart- Heritage plans is the Canadian Nature. The sixth, the National Battle- ment also oversees Sport Canada, the Museum of Nature fields Commission, is responsible for organization responsible for national (the Victoria Me- maintaining Battlefields Park at the sport programs, sport policy, and major morial Museum Plains of Abraham in Quebec. All are in games hosting. Building), where need of extensive repairs and/or renewals. Parliament sat The Heritage Canada during the rebuilding of the Parlia- Canadian Heritage Foundation ment buildings Canadian Heritage is the government Another national organization shares from 1916 to 1920. department responsible for all the with Canadian Heritage some of the You can see draw- buildings and sites that are part of the work of preserving Canada’s heritage ings and plans for federal government’s cultural division. buildings and sites. This is the Heritage the renewal at www.nature.ca/ In addition to a large group of muse- Canada Foundation. In 1973 the federal reno/rnv/ ums, it is also the supporting agency for government incorporated it to “. . . drwngs_e.cfm. the National Library and National preserve and demonstrate and to en- Archives. In addition, it provides sup- courage the preservation and demon- port to cultural programs and institu- stration of the nationally significant tions across the country, through the historic, architectural, natural, and programs of its divisions, such as the scenic heritage of Canada with a view Canadian Council for the Arts. It is also to stimulating and promoting the inter- the department responsible for the est of the people of Canada in that CBC. heritage” (www.heritagecanada.org/ The maintenance of such cultural eng/about/who.html). It is a registered institutions is only one of the responsi- charity made up of members from bilities of Canadian Heritage. On its across Canada. Heritage Canada has a Web site (www.pch.gc.ca/index_e.cfm), board of 12 governors, representing the

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 49 provinces and territories, elected by the from print and other media relating to members. the status of heritage buildings across Heritage Canada is the country’s Canada. leading advocate for the preservation of Heritage Canada also owns and historic buildings and places. To ac- maintains five heritage buildings. The complish its goals, it works with fed- oldest dates from 1670 and is located in eral, provincial, territorial, and local Quebec City. The newest, the headquar- governments to identify sites and ters of Heritage Canada, was built in buildings worthy of preservation. It Ottawa in 1905. Other properties are produces an annual report card on the located in Annapolis Royal, Nova status of Canada’s preservation activi- Scotia; Montebello, Quebec; and ties. It annually distributes a number of Brantford, Ontario. awards to persons and organizations The Foundation maintains a Canadian especially successful in preservation Top 10 Endangered List of Historic activities. Properties. The most recent list is One of its most useful services is a available on the Web at monthly “media review” on its Web site www.heritagecanada.org/eng/featured/ (www.heritagecanada.org/eng/services/ risk.html#topten. media.html#). Information is gathered

Follow-up Activity Choose one of the six institutions slated to receive a share of Heritage Canada’s $100-million and prepare a brief report on the role of the institution and its importance to Canadian culture. Decide whether you personally feel that the institution should continue to receive public funding.

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 50 RESTORING THE PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY Heritage at Home

Is there a building or place in your community or region that you feel is important enough that efforts should be made so that future generations can enjoy and appreciate it? It might be a private home, a public building like a town hall or library, an old burial ground, or an institution—like the school you are at- tending right now.

What makes a place worth saving? It may be architecturally significant: an outstanding example of a style or a particular architect’s work, or an especially beautiful example of its type. It may be historically significant because of an event that took place in it, or a famous person who lived in it. It may be one of the last of its kind, like one of the grain elevators that are rapidly disappearing from the Canadian landscape.

Giving a building or place a heritage designation may be difficult, but it is not impossible. The guide most useful in helping develop a case for a historic designation is provided by the Canadian Register of Historic Places (www.historicplaces.ca/acc-hom_e.aspx).

For the purpose of this exercise, you will work— in small groups—through some of the basic steps required to designate a historic site. Step 1. Identifying a Historic Place From the Canadian Register:

“A ‘historic place’ is a structure, building, group of buildings, district, landscape, archaeological site, or other place in Canada that has been formally recognized for its heritage value by an appropriate authority within a jurisdiction. . . .”

“The key is that a historic place has some type of heritage value to a community, city, province, territory, or the entire nation. A historic place may have a range of values associated with it, including aesthetic, historic, scientific, cultural, social, or spiritual.”

Given the definition and “range of values,” choose a building or place in your community that you feel is of historical and ongoing importance to the community. Step 2. Preparing a Case For this step, you must prepare what the Canadian Register calls a Statement of Significance, or SoS. It will have three parts, each of which is designed to answer a specific question. You may wish to give each part to different members of your group. An example of an SoS is available on the Web at www.historicplaces.ca/rep-reg/format-forme_e.aspx.

Part I: Description of Historic Place What has been designated or formally recognized?

Part II: Heritage Value Why is this historic place considered to be important?

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 51 Part III: Character-Defining Elements What elements must be protected in order to maintain the heritage value of this place? Step 3. Applying for Recognition If you think you have a case for getting a historical place designation, you will need to apply for recognition to the proper authority. A list of these is available from the Canadian Register at www.historicplaces.ca/rep-reg/information- renseignements_e.aspx. You may also wish to consult the list of heritage links provided by the Heritage Canada Foundation at www.heritagecanada.org/eng/ links/general.html#municipal.

You may also approach the office of your Member of Parliament (MP) or member of provincial legislature (MPP) or legislative assembly (MLA). If you would like to seek only local recognition, you may approach a member of your local government, such as your councillor.

Notes:

CBC News in Review • December 2006 • Page 52