Canadian Civic Buildings

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It was designed by Trudeau's partner, John Bland.

Well that seems an awfully fitting name,

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Well that seems an awfully fitting name,

It is a little bland sitting there on its own. The 93' additions made it a little more interesting.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/robhuntley/2525423801/


http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthr...tineau-(Part-I)

Looks great on Google Streetview.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Joh...21189d510e4fa6

More than anything, I never liked the location. Very nice location, but out of the way of everything else.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

It is a little bland sitting there on its own. The 93' additions made it a little more interesting.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/robhuntley/2525423801/


http://urbantoronto.ca/forum/showthr...tineau-(Part-I)

Looks great on Google Streetview.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Joh...21189d510e4fa6

More than anything, I never liked the location. Very nice location, but out of the way of everything else.

It SHOULD be a convenient location, but it isn't.

[kwoldtimer]

Except for the rounded elements on the river, I've never cared much for the Safdie addition. The 1958 City Hall was always much better, imho. To each his own, I guess.

[J.OT13]

I love how Edmonton and Calgary have nearly all of their "central/main" municipal buildings in one area. Sort of a "City Square". I would always do that in Sim City.

Ottawa doesn't have a municipal Performing Arts Centre. Luckily we were able to piggy back on the Feds for that one.


http://ottawastart.blogspot.ca/2011/...ncredible.html

Southam Hall, the main 2,323 main stage:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/dionnemusic/5613999576/

Our concert hall, the National Arts Centre. One of those love it or hate it buildings. I for one like it. It was built as a Centennial legacy project by the Pearson Government, though it was opened two years after the centennial by Trudeau in 1969.

They've been talking about a new glass entrance on Elgin, which would go a long way into adding a light modern addition to a concrete bunker.

Historic Pumping Stations, both still operational.

Fleet Street pumping station, 1875


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_S...umping_Station

Lemieux Island pumping station and purification plant, 1917


https://www.flickr.com/photos/robhuntley/6818035969/

Convention Centre, 2011. Owned by the Province


https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsaiproject/6793395609/

[Trans Canada]

Old Ottawa City Hall - 1993 addition by Moshe Safdie

Click all photos for full size

Original (1958)

Photo Sarah Gelbard http://ottawavelooutaouais.wordpress...sarah-gelbard/

1993 addition












All photos Safdie Architects http://www.msafdie.com/#/projects/ottawacityhall

I believe this building was the inspiration for Edmonton's city hall (posted further above). The original plan was for the white lattice structure to be an observation tower, but the city balked at the cost. Safdie considered the observation tower essential to his design and was pretty ticked off when they didn't go through with it. It's a great building but unfortunately too out of the way to really be appreciated by the public.

[Rico Rommheim]

I didn't know Ottawa's city hall was positioned so dramatically on an island. Like the design too. Minimalist yet somewhat grand.

[J.OT13]

Since the big three haven't joined in yet, here are their respective City Halls;

Montreal, built in 1872-1878, the building was destroyed by fire in 1922. A new structure was built while the outside walls were preserved.



Toronto, opened in 1965 across the street for Old City Hall (right).



Vancouver, 1936. First Major City to build its municipal headquarters outside downtown.

[Rico Rommheim]

Vancouver's is my favourite nationwide. It looks even better in person. True art deco gem. Toronto's can look great when taken by a good photographer but is absolutely hideous in person. Especially seen from the back. A true eyesore. Now, as for TO's old city hall, that's a fantastic building. Truly a great embodiment of Toronto's ambition and power. Hell, it looks like it could have been our parliament building. I like Montreal's, without being overwhelmed or all excited about it. Actually, I'm kind of disappointed the city never built a grander one when it was the nation's top dog. It is way too small for a city our size.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

I didn't know Ottawa's city hall was positioned so dramatically on an island. Like the design too. Minimalist yet somewhat grand.

Note that that's the old one though. It is now a federal building of some kind. The current is on one of the earlier pages.

[Acajack]

Opened less than five years ago.

[J.OT13]

I would have to agree for TO; the back of City Hall is just horrible. And although MTL's is housed in a spectacular heritage building, it does seem small and timid for a city of Montreal's stature. More of a French Château than a City Hall serving 1.65 million people. How do they even fit council in there?

Ottawa's is fine for more political uses, but we also have (rent) a second building (picture on the left) as big as City Hall housing administrative functions. It's situated in Nepean next to their former municipal seat of government (picture on the right).

[Acajack]

Formerly Casino de Hull. Owned by the province.

[eemy]

Ottawa does have a municipally-owned theatre with the Centrepointe Theatre.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Ottawa does have a municipally-owned theatre with the Centrepointe Theatre.

Is the new Shenkman out in Orleans owned by the city as well?

[lake of the nations]

Let's start with the pretty ones.

The City hall, built in 1904 as the courthouse.


Hôtel de ville de Sherbrooke, Illinois by lake of the nations, on Flickr

At that time, this building (also built in 1904), was the city hall.


By Vous souvenez vous dans le temps à Sherbrooke.

Sherbrooke exhibition center


http://www.promoapageau.com/fr/sherb...nfo/access.php

Granada Theater (owned by the city)


Théâtre Granada, février 2014 by lake of the nations, on Flickr

And here come some of the others.

Éva-Senécal librairy


http://www.lejournaldesherbrooke.ca/...a-bibliotheque

Performing arts center


Centre des Arts de la Scène Jean-Besré - Sherbrooke by lake of the nations, on Flickr

[matt602]

Hamilton

City Hall:
(http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com)

Old City Hall, an amazing building that was as impressive as Toronto's old City Hall. Torn down in the 1960's to build the above one at a different location:
(http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/features/...iltons-history)

Original Post Office and Federal Building at King and John (can't remember it's demise, I think it was a fire in the 1920's):
(https://kihm5.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/)

Newer Post Office in the same location, known as the Dominion Public Building. It's now the John Sopinka Provincial Courthouse: (random photo on tinypic)

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Except for the rounded elements on the river, I've never cared much for the Safdie addition. The 1958 City Hall was always much better, imho. To each his own, I guess.

though important from a canadian perspective, i don't know that moshe safdie was ultimately a great talent.

[SignalHillHiker]

Still one of, I think, Canada's greatest losses. Winnipeg's old City Hall:


http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/...to.php?id=4588

And its new one:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law,_go...me_in_Winnipeg

*****

And one interesting tidbit about St. John's.

We never had a grand City Hall because we never had a municipal government. There was no level of government between an individual and Parliament in Newfoundland, from our independence in 1855 until 1888.

In 1888, St. John's was allowed to incorporate and establish a municipal council - but it was led by a Chairman appointed by the Parliament, had no power, and no Mayor. It was basically an advisory committee. It wasn't until 1921 that we created the position of Mayor (which was a huge change because it meant Parliament did not control the council), but it was really only upon Confederation with Canada in 1949 that our municipal council gained the sorts of powers/responsibilities mainlanders would recognize.

At that time, a building on Duckworth Street was converted into a City Hall:


MUN Archives

So we've never had a beautiful, grand one. We did, however, have and lose great and beautiful post offices, hospitals, customs houses, markets, cinemas, theatres, etc.

[eemy]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Is the new Shenkman out in Orleans owned by the city as well?

It's a P3 project, so technically it is owned by a private partnership and operated under a lease by the City, but after the 30 year term, the ownership reverts to the City.