Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage Fall 2009 Volume 36, No. 3 Ottawa’s House is our (Cattle) Castle: Let Heritage Live at Lansdowne By Brigid Janssen he Aberdeen Pavilion is symbolic in T so many ways. Of course it is our symbol – the graphic in the centre of the Heritage Ottawa logo that depicts the silhouette of turrets, domes and the grand sweeping expanse of our beloved Lansdowne Park structure affectionately known as the “Cattle Castle”. aillantcourt More than a decade ago, the Pavilion onica V er became a symbol of the victory of heritage over destruction of our history, of citizens’ Photo: V voices over misguided municipal plans. It The Horticulture Building, another designated heritage building, was the 1914 was refurbished in 1994 after nearly falling creation of Francis Sullivan. prey to the wrecker’s ball. The developers behind the Lansdowne Live project Today again, the Aberdeen Pavilion is about to would certainly have us believe that the Aberdeen symbolize… something. Pavilion will be the centrepiece of their plans to transform Lansdowne Park into a hub of shops, a hotel, stadium and some open space. It will serve as the focal point of the Park, with vistas of the Pavilion preserved from Bank Street to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Rideau Canal and along chives the boulevards within the reconfigured Park. They promise a “special, unique and appropriate use” for installations inside “this architectural landmark heritage building” and wax eloquent at their presentation meetings alongside city officials Photo: City of Ottawa ar about their respect for this designated Our “Cattle Castle” or the Aberdeen Pavilion as it proudly stands today. heritage building. 1 Let Heritage Live ... on the site. Heritage Ottawa has consistently history, from serving as one of Ottawa’s first supported a transparent procurement process and community skating rinks and hosting the 1904 open international competition for the design of Stanley Cup, to housing troops during the Boer Yet the developers are cannily imprecise about Lansdowne Park.” War, the First and Second World Wars, and more the use to which the Aberdeen Pavilion will be put. Our deepest wish and that of many Ottawa citizens, recently as the home of the Cameron Highlanders At the time of the recent public information is that the intrinsic natural and historic value of and Princess Louise Dragoon Guards. sessions, the tentative thought was to populate Lansdowne Park should anchor its future. Its commercial The adjacent Horticulture Building was designed the lower part of the great Pavilion with glass value should be sustained – as in so many wonderful by Francis C. Sullivan (1882-1929) a protégé of the boxes which would house boutiques and history-based developments in Ontario, across great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. restaurants snuggled at the foundations. The Canada and in tourist magnets of Europe such as The simple 1914 building has trademark Wright protective enclosures would leave little sense or Photo: Landsdowne LIve web site Paris, Copenhagen, Rome and London – by the features, such as an unadorned façade with regard for the wonderful reach and height of the Aerial view in Landsdowne Live’s proposal. fascination, charm, and capriciousness of its history. overhanging eaves, a band of casement windows structure that was an engineering feat of its time, Our deepest wish is for the Aberdeen Pavilion to tucked under the eaves and terracotta capitals policy that a heritage-designated building can only with no centre supports – only the grandeur of once again be a symbol – this time, of enlightened either side of the entrance. be moved if “relocation is the only way to conserve voluminous space. It seems – although clarity is development. The Aberdeen Pavilion is a federally designated the resource”. Never mind the ever-louder protests not a strong suit in this project – that the plan for national historic site. It has been protected by a of farmers who demand that the Horticulture the interior is now being reconsidered in light of federal-municipal cost-share agreement since 1994 Building be left where it is, and by the way, that Brigid Phillips Janssen is a member of the Heritage Ottawa protests that enclosed boxes shielding the people which requires the city to retain the building in its they be left where they are to sell their fresh board and chairs the committee on Lansdowne Park. She is from the architecture was hardly special, unique, restored condition without significant modification produce in their current market area and not President of the Grange of the Gatineau, a not-for-profit appropriate or even vaguely imaginative. for a period of 42 years. The Pavilion is also (as the plans would have it) to move the farmers organisation that promotes heritage from a refurbished 200-year-old barn in Cantley, Quebec. protected by an easement with the Ontario Skepticism about real commitment of the to two smaller, separate spots that might provide Heritage Trust, which in perpetuity preserves the developers to heritage can be forgiven with a a touristy attraction but would kill the market. glance across the way to the next-door neighbour heritage attributes of the building and its features. At the time of publication, Heritage Ottawa was of the Aberdeen Pavilion, the Horticulture Both the Aberdeen Pavilion and the Horticulture preparing to intervene before city council to state Lansdowne History Building, another designated heritage building. Building are also municipally designated as heritage our firm opposition to relocating the Horticulture The Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired flat façade and The area bounded by Bank Street, the Glebe and buildings under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. prominent overhang, is the 1914 creation of Building and our strong encouragement of a much the Rideau Canal was acquired in 1868 to hold The adjacent Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Wright’s protégé Francis Sullivan. But for the more appropriate and imaginative use of the agricultural exhibitions and in 1888 the City bought Heritage Site, a designation that can be removed if Lansdowne Live scheme, it’s in the wrong place. Aberdeen Pavilion. the land to become the home of the Central Canada the site and its value and character are damaged. That’s where the cars need to go, into underground In a press release (see www.heritageottawa.ca) Exhibition. Its 140-year history as a centre for parking, and where the commercial development we stated: “Heritage Ottawa has not taken a position agricultural shows, fairs, sports, recreation, needs to extend in order to make it big enough to on any particular plan for the development of farmer’s markets, and the like should be the core be commercially feasible. Lansdowne Park, but believes it is in the interests of development plans in the image of other world So the plan is to move the Horticulture Building. of taxpayers for development plans to revolve capitals that have reaped popular and financial Never mind that this is a clear violation of the city’s around the natural and heritage treasures that exist returns by developing sites around culture, entertainment and public recreation. The Aberdeen Pavilion, dubbed the Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit Directors: John Arnold, “Cattle Castle”, was opened in 1898 and has organization dedicated to the preservation Richard Belliveau, always been the centrepiece of Lansdowne of Ottawa’s built heritage. Susan Buggey Ken C. Clavette, Park and a landmark of the city skyline with Vacant Ken Elder, Ian Ferguson, its fanciful domes and imposing structure. The President Brigid (Phillips) Janssen, Pavilion, named for the seventh Governor Veronica Vaillancourt Heritage Ottawa David Jeanes Leslie Maitland, John McLeod, Vice-President Heather Perrault, General of Canada and nicknamed for the Editor 2 Daly Avenue chives Carolyn Quinn, Paul Stumes exhibitions it housed celebrating progress in Jan Soetermans Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 Willam R. Price Secretary Graphic Designer Tel: 613-230-8841 agriculture and livestock, was refurbished in David Ivison Heritage Ottawa acknowledges 1994 after a long campaign by Ottawa citizens Tina & Company Fax: 613-564-4428 Treasurer the financial support of the Printing Email: [email protected] City of Ottawa and the who refused to see such an historic and David B. Flemming Web: www.heritageottawa.org Ontario Ministry of Culture splendid building demolished. It is now a Past-President national historic site that boasts a proud Aberdeen Pavillion, Circa 1896. Photo: City of Ottawa ar 2 3 lobbying pressures. The appearance Kanata Set to Lose Historic Church of numerous parishioners, Des Adam (Deacon and By Ken Elder former Mayor of Kanata), the aint Isidore, one of the last remaining exceeded the congregation’s fund raising capabilities Archbishop of Ottawa, and churches in Ontario designed by noted of $1.5 to $3.5 million. An option to phase in the other objectors to designation at S priest-architect, Canon Georges Bouillon, work was estimated even higher at $9.0 million. the meeting had its effect. If we lost a bid for designation at city council last June By 2007 the option to demolish the existing church are to make an adequate case for and faces imminent demolition. While it may be and build a new church on the same site was designation in the future we will too late to save the historic Catholic church in old approved at a cost of $3.5 million. need to assemble community South March, we may still learn a few lessons from members with a heritage a heritage standpoint for dealing with possibly Designation of St. Isidore Catholic Church sensitivity and interest, knowledgeable local historians similar cases in the future. In July 2008, a request to designate St. Isidore and preservation experts.