Heritage Ottawa NEWSLETTER

Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage Summer 2002 Volume 29, No. 1

Heritage Ottawa Addresses the NCC’s Board of Directors. President’s Report Carolyn Quinn he National Capital Mayors of Ottawa and Gatineau is The City of Ottawa has designated Commission invited local essential. When communicating the parts of Sparks Street a Heritage Tinterest groups to present capital to Canadians, it is the actual Conservation District under the Ontario nature and history of the capital that ideas to assist the commission in Heritage Act to preserve its history. What must be the focus. The city is the you propose is to transform Sparks Street, fulfilling its three-part national product of the life of the local citizens, a weasel word used in describing your mandate: Communicating the capital the Ontario-Quebec bilingual character, plans for LeBreton Flats. to Canadians; safeguarding and the cosmopolitan lifestyle of immigrant Similarly, the creation of a public preserving national symbols and and diplomatic communities and square runs contrary to the design of treasures; and creating a meeting the political climate as the seat of Parliament Hill. The High-Victorian government. place for all Canadians. The following Gothic Revival design of our Parliament Your mandate must balance the Buildings was chosen over the Neo- is a modified version of our response civic realm and the capital realm more Classical style because it reflected our presented to the Board of Directors of effectively. The ‘town versus crown’ non-revolutionary past and our feeling the NCC by President Carolyn Quinn dichotomy has tended to work against for the picturesque. The sheer delight of on May 2, 2002 those sites whose history is perceived as this architecture is meant to surprise the J’aimerais commencée par vous of too local significance. Federal urban visitor, not to impose itself from the remerciez pour cette occassion de planning sets priorities that aim at distance of a wide open space. présenter nos idées en ce qui concernent achieving national objectives that often Jacques Gréber understood this la réalisation du mandat de la jeopardise municipal heritage. important aesthetic consideration Commission de la Capitale Nationale. Your preference for a vision of when he planned the widening of En bref, notre message de toute the capital that favours it as visitor Elgin Street to create an angular premiére importance c’est de ne jamais showcase, includes a proposal that approach to the Hill. oublier de considérer la forte impression would see the demolition and relocation The NCC mandate, as a public que vos décisions ont sur les résidents de of heritage buildings in order to trustee of the region, must protect the la capitale et sur notre patrimoine locale. facilitate the construction of a four- physical evidence of the multifaceted For this over-riding precept – a storey underground parking garage and evolution of the heritage character of respect for the citizenry of the National the creation of a public square opposite Ottawa. The graceful low-key and quiet Capital Region – to guide all NCC plans, the Centre Block of Parliament Hill. character of the city with the vibrant life there must be transparency of the Both these destructive developments of its resident communities, is admired decision making process and increased ignore the historic significance of equally by residents and visitors. This consultation with the local communities Sparks Street as an important local very character must be communicated to and their representatives. This evening is cultural landscape – by severing it Canadians without added pretensions. a good beginning. Let us hope it is just in two. You have used the phrase Your mandate is to communicate the start of a more permanent practice. “reclaiming a historic downtown street the capital as history has made it, not Greater representation from the national for public and private use”. It has as Paris or Washington would have capital area on the NCC’s Board would always had public and private uses, planned it. To fulfil this mandate to be welcome. A regular meeting of the and it is not yours to reclaim. oversee the protection of our natural, Continued on page 2

1 President’s Report… architectural and cultural symbols and Canada’s Round Table on Historic Places treasures, you must stop the transfer of public lands into private hands.Some Concludes with Three Part Action Plan development must be part of the plan- Kerry Edmonds ning of federal lands, but it should be done in such as way that is responsive to anadian Heritage Minister our heritage. I am delighted tax payers and your own heritage policy. Sheila Copps and a that the initial response is over- Your vision of the capital as a C cross-section of experts whelmingly positive.” meeting place for all Canadians should from a variety of disciplines The Skills Group will bring include a respect for the living spaces of concluded the first Minister's together, among others, architects, the city’s residents. It is a local place Round Table on Historic Places labour representatives, engineers, that has a history that is older than the with commitment to a three tradespeople, artisans and country. Anything less is not only unfair phase plan of action. contractors with the aim to ensure to the people of this city, it results in a Phase 1 – Work will move Canada provides enough young misrepresentation of the city’s evolution ahead quickly to complete a new people with the know-how to to visitors. Canadian Register of Historic restore heritage buildings. We, the residents of this city are Places, conservation standards and The Municipal Outreach proud of what our forebears have built. a rigorous certification process. Group will work to engage both We are proud to be of the Nation’s large and small communities Capital. And when Canadians visiting Phase 2 – Participants concurred with the Minister's emphasis on in a campaign to push forward from other parts of Canada view their a national strategy on historic capital and go home, it is us, the the need to “complete putting our federal house in order,” and places. This group, led by elected residents, who are left to make this municipal officials, would also city work and to treasure its past. agreed on the requirement for new legislation to provide heritage advise the Minister on how tax Please, don’t destroy the shrine incentives might be used for to make way for the pilgrims. protection for key federal buildings and to provide new protection for heritage protection of single archaeological resources under family dwellings. federal jurisdiction. Participants The Sustainable Development also reached consensus on the need Working Group will seek to link for financial incentives to spur the work on historic places with the restoration and preservation of work of organizations such as historic buildings. the National Round Table on the Environment and the Phase 3 – Participants also agreed Economy. “We must strive to to work together towards the be as inclusive and as pan- establishment of a new Canadian Canadian as possible,” stated Trust for Historic Places. To assist Minister Copps. “Governments with the work, Minister Copps must work together to give the announced that she would establish Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit private and voluntary sectors organization dedicated to advocating three Ministerial Working Groups. the tools they need to conserve the preservation, restoration, and Skills, Municipal Outreach and and celebrate Canada’s extraordi- adaptive re-use of the National Broader Sustainable Development nary array of historic places.” Capital’s built and natural heritage. Issues. “We have an incredible array of Canadians with the Further information can be Membership fees: Individual $25 dedication and the knowledge Family $30; Student/Senior $15 obtained from: Kerry Edmonds, Patron $50; Corporation $75 essential to ensure a renaissance Director of Communications, of Canada’s historic places”, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage Ottawa, 2 Daly Avenue, said the Minister. “I intend to ask Heritage, (819) 997-7788. Ottawa, ON, K1N 6E2, Tel. 230-8841 those talented individuals to (Also available on the Internet at 1SSN 1483-9032 volunteer their services for the www.parkscanada.gc.ca under, Editor: James D. Georgiles conservation and celebration of Graphic Designer: Jan Soetermans What’s New) Printing: Tyrell Reproductions Ltd.

2 The Architecture of Ottawa’s Central Union Station

by David L. Jeanes

he Government Conference Centre, formerly Union Station, Twas designed in May 1908 by Ross & MacFarlane, a three-year old partnership of young Montreal architects. Their beaux-arts concept impressed city council and newspaper reporters as “strikingly beautiful” and “so completely different” from the rejected Gothic designs of New York architect Bradford Lee Gilbert. A central union station, planned since 1891 but delayed many times, had become a personal project of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Ottawa Mayor D’Arcy Scott and Grand Trunk Railway President Charles Melville Hays. By 1909 George Allen Ross and David Huron MacFarlane assembled their team for the station. Designer Shaw collection of F.D. Whittaker, W.C. Photo by: Louis-Joseph Théophile Décary and the Ottawa’s Union Station and Bush train shed in action, June 1956. firm’s chief draftsman Robert Henry MacDonald led 30 architects, engineers architects, studied at Bishop’s, McGill, Paris, and worked for leading beaux-arts and draftsmen, almost all Canadians, the École Polytechnique, M.I.T. in architects in Boston, New York or who had apprenticed to leading Montreal Boston, or the École des beaux-arts in Montreal. Ross & Macdonald Archive, Collection Centre Canadien Collection Centre Archive, Ross & Macdonald Montréal Architecture, for Centre d’Architecture/Canadian

Louis-Joseph Théophile Décary, Architect. Longitudinal section, Central Union Station, Ottawa, 1909. Continued on page 4

3 Union Station…

Ross & MacFarlane were the Canadien associates for the 1907 proposed Toronto Union Station by the American firm Carrère and Hastings. They had designed Montreal beaux-arts banks, offices, and schools, all costing under $150,000, but the Ottawa station and Chateau Laurier would be a $2.5 million megaproject, their first of many. National Archives of Canada C-047167 Archives National

Chateau Laurier, Daly Building and Union Station framing Rideau Street before 1955.

Ross & MacFarlane were the $2.5 million megaproject, their first engineers of New York’s new skyscrapers Canadian associates for the 1907 of many. and for the leading American and proposed Toronto Union Station by The Indiana limestone walls and Canadian bridge companies. Bridge the American firm Carrère and Hastings. Doric columns “in antis”, facing trusses hidden in the waiting room and They had designed Montreal beaux-arts Rideau Street and the canal, hid a concourse roofs supported false plaster banks, offices, and schools, all costing modern steel frame designed by civil ceilings and stone capitals above false under $150,000, but the Ottawa station engineer Gilbert Townsend. He had columns. and Chateau Laurier would be a trained at M.I.T. and worked for the The building plan and great waiting room copied McKim, Mead & White’s Pennsylvania Station, then under Waiting Rooms – Ottawa and NYC construction in New York. The barrel and groin vaulted ceiling, arched “thermal” windows, hollow Corinthian columns, and Roman travertine walls formed a half-scale replica of the New York waiting room. It was an enlarged re-creation of the “frigidarium” of the Roman baths of Diocletian, preserved as Michelangelo’s church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Around the waiting room were separate rooms for men and women, restaurant, ticket office, and a finely appointed Government room with marble fireplace and mantelpiece. They were entered though the spacious foyer and grand staircase, a tunnel from the Chateau Laurier, and the platform concourse from Besserer Street. A 533-foot train shed, the latest design of American railroad engineer Lincoln Canada Science and Technology Museum, CN Collection Technology Canada Science and Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division Prints & Photographs of Congress, Library Bush, sheltered platforms and tracks Ottawa’s Union Station New York’s Pennsylvania Station along the Canal.

4 Beaux-arts stations were also designed in 1904 and 1908 for Winnipeg by other architects, but Ottawa’s project enabled Ross, Macdonald and Townsend to create the largest architectural and engineering firm in Canada, building monumental landmarks across the country. Members of the Union Station team led the design of Toronto’s great Union Station (1913-1920). Ottawa’s station and Chateau Laurier opened 90 years ago Construction Magazine on 1 June 1912 and served Canada’s First Proposal for Beaux-arts Station Architects: Ross & MacFarlane, Montréal 1908. transcontinental railways until July 1966. After the trains left, it became the 1967 Centennial Centre and later the John Eberson to design and build the Street for 55 years. The blank northeast Government Conference Centre. largest movie palaces and arenas across wall never received its columns as antici- The firm designed Toronto’s Arena Canada, in New York and in Paris. pated by the architects. Yet Union Station Gardens, the first 20-storey skyscraper Harry Royden Dowswell collaborated remains, inside and out, one of the most in Canada, Central Technical School, on the Empire State Building. Thomas beautiful buildings in Ottawa. The the Royal York Hotel, Eatons and Dunlop Rankin and Gustave Brault proposal for a national history museum Maple Leaf Gardens; Winnipeg’s Fort joined Public Works, becoming assistant dedicated to the prime ministers, many Garry Hotel; Edmonton’s MacDonald chief and chief architects, and directed connected with Union Station, the Hotel; Quebec City’s Price building; the Confederation and Justice buildings Centennial Centre or the Conference Montreal’s many office blocks, depart- and the conversion of 24 Sussex Drive Centre, is a wonderful idea. ment stores, university buildings, hotels as the Prime Minister’s residence. and apartments; the Halifax reconstruc- Harold Lea Fetherstonhaugh designed David Jeanes is a long-time resident of tion after the 1917 explosion; and important Montreal buildings and John Ottawa, an amateur historian, and a new Ottawa’s 1913 Daly building expansion, Duncan Forsyth created mansions and board member of Heritage Ottawa. For 1941 Lord Elgin Hotel, and postwar monuments in Oklahoma. the past 20 years he has studied the rail- buildings at Tunney’s Pasture and The original Roman-style dome way and architectural history of the old Rockcliffe air base. was removed in 1956 from above the Union Station and of other Ottawa train Other Union Station architects wood-panelled courtroom of the Board stations. He recently retired from Nortel went on to varied careers. Décary of Railway Commissioners, which Networks and a 32-year career in com- worked with Thomas Lamb and occupied the upper floors on Rideau puter and telecom R&D and is currently president of Transport 2000, a national voluntary group advocating public transportation. The sources for this paper include the Ross & Macdonald archives at the Canadian Centre for Architecture and McGill's Canadian Architecture Collection in Montreal, nomination forms in the Royal Institute of British Architects library, periodicals such as Construction, Canadian Railway and Marine World, Contract Record and Architectural Record, Parks Canada/FHBRO agenda papers, and two recent theses, by David Rose at Concordia and Jacques Lachapelle at

National Archives of Canada Archives National Laval, respectively on Ross & MacFarlane/Macdonald's hotel and Grand Trunk Central Station 1912. monumental architecture.

5 chapel, which was reassembled in the Ottawa Honours Robert Phillips National Gallery 15 years later. We honour Bob Phillips for his many by Jean Palmer achievements in heritage conservation, some of which are: n response to the City of Ottawa’s followed by a campaign to save Byward • his work on what became request for candidates for a Civic Market, an issue that drew much public The Ontario Heritage Act; IOfficiation Award, Heritage Ottawa attention. proposed Robert R. Phillips, an old Far from the standing at the end • his work on the Mayor's committee heritage protectionist and first President of Centennial Year, the Committee on heritage in 1972; of Heritage Ottawa. increased its membership and regrouped • his chairmanship of the Heritage The heritage community looks back under the banner, “A Capital for Committee of “A Capital for to the beginning of the heritage move- Canadians” and its heritage committee Canadians”, leading to its emergence ment in Ottawa in honouring one of its assembled monthly in the Phillips’ living as Heritage Ottawa; and early champions, Robert Phillips with room. From 1970 to 1972, under the • his involvement in the discarding the Heritage Officiation Award. Bob chairmanship of Bob Phillips,the of the concept of a national trust, Phillips' commitment to Heritage Committee was instrumental in saving this led to the foundation of Heritage Canada, of which Bob Phillips Ottawa goes back at least to 1967 when the Billings' house, the Nicholas Street became the first executive director. he and his wife Mary Anne were mem- gaol. the Armstrong House and the East bers of a small committee charged with Block on Parliament Hill. Empty and Ottawa has much to thank beautifying the capital for centennial dilapidate, the East Block was to be Bob Phillips for his role in the survival year. Almost immediately it became gutted and its interior was to be of such historic buildings as the Union clear that consultation, not beautifica- modernised and reconfigured into Station, Fraser School House, Market tion would be the priority, offices. Bob Phillips’ team organised Building. Nicholas Street gaol) the East Union Station was slated for guided tours of the East Block to Block) the Rideau Convent Chapel, demolition to provide parking for alert the public to the tragic loss of the Friday’s Beef House and the Aberdeen centennial festivities, while there was historic fabric. He wrote a scholarly and Pavilion. talk of filling in the Rideau Canal to beautiful work on its architecture; a We in Heritage Ottawa were convert it into a road to the city centre. book still much consulted on the subject. delighted to learn that Bob Phillips The committee found itself defending The Rideau Street convent was the had been given the award and were the Union Station and the canal with a Heritage Committee’s next project, it particularly moved to hear him, in barrage of articles to the local newspa- was to lose that battle, but on the strenu- his acceptance speech, remind those pers. The Fraser School House became ous intervention of Bob Phillips’ present, that the building in which the next battleground; the only Heritage Committee, both the N.C.C., they were then standing (The Ottawa fragments surviving the widespread and the National Gallery cooperated in Teachers’ College) had been saved clearances in New Edinburgh. This was saving part of the convent’s unique by his wife Anne.

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6 Ashcroft Proposals Challenge Official Plan for Centretown by David Flemming Ottawa. At one of the meetings for 330 of the current Official Plan and Zoning wo recent development proposals Gilmour Street, those in attendance By-Law and opposes the Ashcroft appli- from Ashcroft Homes have voted that the developer return with a cations, to make their Telicited opposition from the proposal that meets the existing guidelines. feelings known to the Mayor and their Centretown Citizens Community At the second meetings for each of the City Councilor as soon as possible. Association, many Centretown residents sites, the developer reduced the proposed N.B. Heritage Ottawa is not and from Heritage Ottawa. The first height of both buildings to 15 stories. opposed to all new developments for proposal is for a 20-storey apartment In addition to the application to Centretown. It does however, support building to be built at 330 Gilmour permit the demolition of the former initiatives which conform to the vision Street, former headquarters of the Ottawa School Board building, the of downtown Ottawa as contained in the Ottawa Board of Education. The initial developer has applied for amendments current Official Plan. Hartman1s proposal was to incorporate the oldest to the Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Independent Grocer1s proposal for a portion of the structure (a municipally to allow these projects to proceed. Both residential/grocery store mixed use designated Heritage building), in the proposed amendments will eventually development for Somerset Street West, proposed development; however the be considered by the Planning and not only conforms to the current plan- developer has since applied under the Development Committee of City ning and zoning requirements but will Ontario Heritage Act for a demolition Council and will recommend a course of provide affordable housing for the area permit for the entire building to make action to a full meeting of Council, in an appropriate setting. way for the new development which however the application for demolition Update on Above would also include four stories of retail must be dealt with by Council before it The current status of the applications, and commercial space. The site is can consider the proposed amendments. according to Mr. John Smit of the City’s currently designated as “Medium Use” The application for demolition will be Development services Department is as under the Official Plan provisions considered by the Ottawa Local follows: relating to Centretown development but Architectural Conservation Advisory 330 Gilmour (OBE Site) with the Heritage provisions for the Committee on June 4 and will be con- Ashcroft is reviewing “other develop- area would limit any new building to a sidered by Ottawa City Council on June ment options to respond to concerns maximum height of about six stories. 26. If the demolition application and the expressed by the community and by Another Ashcroft proposal, for proposed amendments are rejected by staff.:” When a revised proposal is sub- 320 McLeod Street, former office of the Council, it is expected that the develop- mitted it will be reviewed by staff and in Canadian National Institute for the er will apply to the Ontario Municipal consultation with the Ward Councillor Blind, calls for a similar development in Board for approval of his proposals. determine the need and timing for any another “Medium Use” area which, with Heritage Ottawa is opposed to both further public meetings. the heritage zoning provisions of the the application for a demolition permit 320 McLeod (CNIB Site) current Zoning By-Law would limit any and the planning and zoning applica- Ashcroft has amended its rezoning application new development to two stories. tions because the proposals far exceed and is now requesting permission to allow for The developer has applied for amend- the current provisions of the Official the construction of a nine-storey building, ments to the Official Plan and the Zoning Plan and Zoning By-law for the area.It which fits into the current Medium Profile By-Law to enable these projects to proceed. is also opposed to dismantling the Residential Area designation which allows for Four public meetings have been Official Plan in a piecemeal way through buildings from five to nine storeys. held (two for each proposal) at which specific applications for amendments Staff have requested that Ashcroft Ashcroft President, David Choo and his which far exceed the current massing and refineits proposal and provide additional planning staff have outlined their height for both sites. A new Official Plan is information to allow staff to adequately “vision” for Centretown which includes being developed for the City of Ottawa assess the application. As in the Gilmour high-rise accommodations such as those and any major changes in use for areas Street application, staff will consult with that he is proposing. Those opposed to such as this part of Centretown should be the Ward Councillor about the need and these developments support the “vision” addressed in this process. timing for further public meetings. It is as outlined in the current Official Plan Heritage Ottawa urges anyone anticipated that the 320 McLeod St and feel that the current Zoning By-law who wishes to support the vision for application will go to the Planning is appropriate for this part of downtown Centretown as contained in the provisions Committee sometime in the fall.

7 City of Ottawa Receives Award of Excellence for Ottawa 20/20 “Smart Growth Summit” he City of Ottawa, on May 29, in the age of technology and large-scale of municipal management, to recognize 2002, received an award of economic and population growth. Under the specific contributions achieved by Texcellence from the Canadian the direction of Ned Lathrop, General members of the Association, and to Association of Municipal Administrators Manager of Development Services, the publicize these to other members as (CAMA) for its work on the Smart Smart Growth Summit launched the well as to the general public. For more Growth Summit, held in June 2001. development of the City of Ottawa’ information visit www.camacam.ca Presented to Bruce Thom, Ottawa growth management strategy, Ottawa Ottawa 20/20 is the City of City Manager, at CAMA’s annual 20/20. Ottawa’s growth management strategy. conference in Hamilton, the Willis The Canadian Association of It sets out the City’s vision for planning Award is a component of CAMA’s Municipal Administrators (CAMA) is a where we want to go over the next 20 Excellence in Municipal Administration national, non-profit association open to years, and how we will get there. Ottawa Program sponsored by US Filter. The all municipal managers, including: city 20/20 protects and builds on the quality Willis Award recognizes one nomination clerks; any person who is employed of life our citizens value, based on that demonstrates exceptional innovation in a management capacity in the principles they have expressed them- and meritorious initiative, in the category administration of a Canadian municipality; selves. Ottawa 20/20 consists of five of municipalities with a population of and, any person who is employed in an growth management plans: Official over 20,000. executive capacity in a national, regional, Plan; Human Services Plan; Arts and The Smart Growth Summit was a provincial, or territorial municipal Heritage Plan; Economic Strategy; major public conference held in Spring organization dealing with municipal and Corporate Strategic Plan. For more 2001 to share perspectives on develop- management and administration. CAMA information visit www.ottawa2020.com. ing a dynamic and liveable community encourages the improvement of the art New Ontario Property Walking Tours for 2002 Tax Relief Announced by Jennifer Rosebrugh enjoy the last fleeting days of summer in Exciting news from the province in 2002. a war canoe. Paddle with architect Marc Legislation has been passed to provide The Sunday afternoon walking tour pro- Brandt across the waters behind the property tax relief for heritage properties. gram for 2002 is shaping up well, with a Museum of Civilisation, to learn about This is big news for heritage property owners, municipalities and especially number of new offerings, additional to the fascinating cultural and industrial LACACs, who now have a new tool to use our popular tried and true jaunts. history around the Chaudiere Falls and New this year: We look forward to to promote heritage conservation. Victoria Island. On February 7th, then Ontario welcoming Martha Edmonds, author of Tour schedules will be in the mail to an upcoming book on “Rockcliffe”, to Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and members shortly. The full program will Minister of Tourism, Culture & Recreation our roster of experts. Martha will share also soon be posted on the new heritage Tim Hudak, announced the province’s new with tour participants new and fascinat- Ottawa website: www.heritageottawa.org tax relief measure for heritage properties. ing glimpses into the architecture and Amendments to the Municipal Act now history of life in “the Village”; enable municipalities to pass by-laws Restoration Architect Gouhar offering owners of heritage properties tax Shemdin will show you what she most reductions of 10-40%. The initiative is loves of her neighbourhood, the Glebe; designed as a cost-sharing arrangement Lace up your walking shoes, and let between the province and the municipality: Carolyn Quinn introduce you to the province will cover the education portion Ottawa’s beachside community of of the tax relief, while the municipality Britannia ‹ as it was in days of yore; will fund its portion of the tax reduction. MTCR is planning to write to all Noted architect and author John municipalities and LACACs in the Leaning is putting together an armchair province to promote the new measure. tour – a 360 degree glimpse of Ottawa’s Watch the MOF and MTCR web sites architectural history as seen from the (www.gov.on.ca/fin comfort of the glass rotunda of the and www.culture.gov.on.ca National Gallery; and In September, .

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