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It's Time to Fight for the Château Laurier

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It's Time to Fight for the Château Laurier Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage May 2018 Volume 45, No. 2 Heritage News Now It’s Time to Fight for the Château Laurier HERITAGE OTTAWA By Peter Coffman 2 018 WALKING Time is running out to prevent the most disgraceful act of heritage TOURS vandalism of our generation. If the proposed addition to the Château Laurier goes ahead, it will forever disfigure one of the most iconic Join our experienced guides for and important heritage sites in the walks through some of Ottawa’s country. most interesting neighbourhoods ranging from Beaverbrook to The saga, you may recall, began back Briarcliffe. Our program offers a in September of 2016 when Larco number of new tours as well as returning favourites. Investments (and their architect Peter Clewes) unveiled plans for an We’re kick-starting this season’s addition to the north side of the 17 tours on June 10 with “Heritage Apartments in Centretown.” Back Château Laurier that was met with by popular demand, the tour will near-universal horror and revulsion. Peter Coffman Peter depart from the Main Entrance of the A “revised” version unveiled two Museum of Nature. months later turned out to be nearly Photos: Photos: Walking Tours are $5 for members indistinguishable from the first. and $10 for non-members. Finally, this February, we were shown Tours take place on Sundays, a substantially altered design – one and to work with, the architectural rain or shine, and begin at 2 pm that managed to look completely “language” of the existing building. (unless otherwise indicated). different, while still repeating all the That language is one of romance and Mark your calendars! Visit fundamental mistakes of the first two what is known as the “picturesque” our website for more details: versions. (See https://heritageottawa. – a playful, varied and intricate heritageottawa.org. org/news/heritage-ottawa-remarks- aesthetic meant to surprise us and revised-design-for-proposed-addition- excite our curiosity. The Château chateau-laurier) Laurier is meant to seduce and delight us. Its silhouette changes constantly So what are these fundamental as we walk around it; light and shade mistakes? The details are many, play dramatically off its complex but they all fall under the broad surfaces. It is rich in historical umbrella of a failure to understand, allusion, evoking the French tradition 1 It’s Time to Fight cont’d. that is fundamental to our history. It conjures visions of Tennyson’s Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit Time is running out to prevent organization dedicated to the “many-towered Camelot.” It also preservation of Ottawa’s built heritage. evokes the opulence and romance the most disgraceful act of of the Gilded Age, and the kind of heritage vandalism of our Linda Hoad unimaginable luxury of buildings Editor like George Vanderbilt’s “Biltmore.” generation. If the proposed Jan Soetermans It is an invitation to dream. addition to the Château Laurier Graphic Designer goes ahead, it will forever Katari Imaging The proposed addition is none Printing of this. It is rectangular. It is flat. disfigure one of the most iconic It is a grid. It has neither curves nor Heritage Ottawa and important heritage sites 2 Daly Avenue diagonals. It evokes nothing. It offers in the country. Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 no surprises. It is as romantic as a mathematical formula, as lyrical as a Tel: 613-230-8841 Fax: 613-564-4428 telephone book. And from Major’s Email: [email protected] Hill Park, or the mouth of the canal, a heritage building be fundamentally Web: www.heritageottawa.org or from the Ottawa river, it is all you will see of the Château Laurier. incompatible with its historic David Jeanes partner. This misconception is President Contrary to some of the claims probably rooted in the Ontario Leslie Maitland circulating in mainstream and social Ministry of Culture’s “Eight Guiding Past-President media, there are no regulations or Principles” for heritage conservation, Carolyn Quinn bylaws requiring that the addition to one of which states that “New work Vice-President Communications (vacant) Vice-President Operations Linda Hoad Vice-President Programs Anne Maheux Treasurer Louise Fox Secretary (vacant) Legal Consultant Danielle Jones Website Directors: Doug Beaton, Richard Belliveau, Peter Coffman, Ken Elder, Ian Ferguson, Krista Gowan, Glen Gower, Robert Martin, Heather McArthur, Hunter McGill, Carolyn Quinn, Martin Rice, Nicole Sammut, Katherine Spencer-Ross. Heritage Ottawa acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa and the Ontario Ministry of Culture 2 should be distinguishable from freestanding hotels in LeBreton old.” This can be interpreted – and Flats, would be just fine. But But adding a wing to a building misinterpreted – in several ways, but adding a wing to a building of such given that five of the eight provincial of such historical importance historical importance as the Château Guiding Principles begin with the as the Château Laurier, on Laurier, on such an important word “respect”, it obviously isn’t an site beside Parliament Hill, brings such an important site beside exhortation to build incompatible special responsibilities. Both the additions. No heritage laws or Parliament Hill, brings special building and its setting are uniquely guidelines, anywhere, would responsibilities. significant. The ensemble of hotel, encourage this – in fact the mother canal and Parliament has been of all heritage guidelines, the commemorated on our currency Venice Charter, states: “Additions and our postage stamps. It is as cannot be allowed except in so far combination of both. Whatever the iconic for Canada as the Palace as they do not detract from the reason, we have to conclude that of Westminster is for Britain, or interesting parts of the building, its after three attempts over nearly two Washington’s Capitol is for the traditional setting, the balance of years, this owner and architect have USA. What is being contemplated its composition and its relation proven that they are not up to the here would be unthinkable with its surroundings.” job. The problems with the design are elsewhere. As Dr. John Goodall, fundamental to their approach, and an internationally renowned It’s clear that this is a matter of no amount of tinkering can fix them. architectural historian and choice: either the architect is Architectural Editor of Country Life uninterested in showing the required The Château Laurier is not just magazine in the U.K., observed: respect and sensitivity, or the another hotel. All three of the “That this national view should be client is forcing his hand, or some proposed designs, if built as sacrificed to a clumsily designed 3 4 The Château Laurier is meant The Château Laurier Hotel – a few interesting facts to seduce and delight us. Its The Château Laurier is one of Ottawa’s most beloved buildings and an silhouette changes constantly exceptional Canadian railway hotel. For over 100 years, the elegant Château as we walk around it; light and Laurier has been the setting of much of Ottawa’s important social, cultural and political life, yet always open to the general public. shade play dramatically off its complex surfaces. • Built for $2 million by the Grand Trunk Railway between 1909 and 1912, it is connected to the former Union Station by an underground tunnel under Wellington Street. • Luxurious materials include Indiana limestone, Tiffany windows and hotel extension — literally a massive Belgian marble. glass box — ought to provoke a • The opening planned for April 26, 1912 was postponed until June when national outcry.” GTR president Charles Melville Hays, who oversaw the hotel’s construction, perished aboard the RMS Titanic. Paul Chevré, who That outcry needs to happen right sculpted the bust of Prime Minister Laurier that stands in the hotel lobby, now. The City’s Built Heritage was the only male member of the party to survive. Sub-Committee (BHSC) and • In August, 1914, Major Raymond Brutinel enrolled the first recruits for Planning Committee will hold the Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade at the hotel. a joint meeting soon to consider • In 1924, the CNR radio network station first broadcast from the sixth the proposal. Citizens can make a floor of the Château. Taken over by CBC Radio in 1937, the station 5 minute presentation at this joint operated from there until 2004. meeting. The recommendation • In 1929, the Canadian National Railway (which had absorbed the GTR passed at this meeting will go to in 1923) built an east wing along Mackenzie Avenue. Designed by City Council, who will vote on architects John Archibald and John Schofield, the seamless addition whether to allow this addition to go provided 240 rooms, a new state-of-the-art kitchen and featured the ahead. The City invites public input, renowned vaulted-ceiling ballroom. and it is crucial that they get it. • In 1930, the hotel added a stunning Art Deco style indoor pool and offered spa-like “therapeutic” treatments. Perhaps most importantly, it is time to write to your member of City • While serving as Prime Minister, R.B. Bennett made a specially created Council. Not all of them care about 17-room suite at the Château his official residence. heritage, but you can be sure that • Many important events with visiting dignitaries were hosted by the hotel, every single one of them cares about including the month-long First Imperial Economic Conference in 1932 votes. In this election year especially, and the 1939 visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. we need to send the message that • During the Second World War years the hotel hosted a number of the wanton destruction of our clandestine conferences with military and industrial leaders quietly built heritage will cost votes. If that entering the hotel by the tunnel from Ottawa’s Union Station and meeting behind closed doors.
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