{"id":7124,"date":"2011-11-10T00:05:16","date_gmt":"2011-11-10T05:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingottawa.ca\/?p=7124"},"modified":"2013-01-21T09:06:57","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T14:06:57","slug":"considering-public-space-in-ottawa-library-archives-canada-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/ottawa\/2011\/11\/10\/considering-public-space-in-ottawa-library-archives-canada-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Considering Public Space in Ottawa: Library & Archives Canada Building"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Editor’s note: This article is cross-posted from Spacing Ottawa contributor Chris Warden’s new website dedicated to modernist architecture in Ottawa<\/a>. As Chris explains, Capital Modern<\/strong>‘s inspiration is “a concern with the lack of value that is typically attributed to buildings and sites from this period in Ottawa\u2019s growth as a city…[the] site is meant to fit into the growing attention this period is receiving and to provide a wide audience with the opportunity to consider and\/or reconsider works from this period.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n

One of the key legacies of the Centennial celebrations in Ottawa was the construction of numerous public institutions aimed at promoting and protecting the collective memory and identity of Canada and its peoples. Perched at the western edge of the Parliamentary Precinct, the Library and Archives Canada building is a modernist landmark serving the role of providing storage for important documentation, providing access to this documentation and being a site for public use. \u00a0In fact public use of the building is identified in the building’s Heritage Character Statement:\u00a0 “as an important public venue in Ottawa”.\u00a0 A heritage character statement, prepared by FHBRO (Federal Heritage Building Review Office) is a summary document that outlines key architectural, associative and cultural characteristics that define a building\u2019s heritage value.\u00a0 The\u00a0provision of gracious public spaces, significant artwork specifically designed for the building, an auditorium and other gathering spaces within the building all support the public functions and intent inherent in the original design and integral to the character of the building. \u00a0Over the intervening years since its construction finished in 1967 the building and its public spaces have been incredibly well used by the citizens of the Capital Region.\u00a0 With the apparent shift in Government policy and addition of further procedural requirements it will be much more difficult to access this important public space (one of the few at this end of Wellington Street) and its usefulness as an indoor gathering space<\/span> place within downtown Ottawa.<\/p>\n

One can only hope that the current shift in policy will be revisited when many of the planned or currently underway projects to address required renovations on Parliament Hill are completed. \u00a0However, it will be some time before all of those renovations are complete, perhaps decades. \u00a0The loss of easy public access to the space is also compounded by the loss of the Lorne Building and its auditorium on Elgin Street downtown. \u00a0This leaves the variety of spaces at Ottawa City Hall and the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) auditorium, Arts Court (subject of a renovation proposal) and other smaller venues available for use. \u00a0However, many of these spaces are well used and likely cannot accommodate the increased demand.<\/p>\n

There are always opportunities that arise from challenges and one such opportunity is just mere blocks from the Archives. \u00a0Hiding within the Podium Building at Place du Ville is a piggy-back 2 cinema complex that has been closed since 1996. \u00a0While much of the interior elements have been removed for some time, the shell remains intact. \u00a0It is waiting to accommodate a new use. \u00a0These empty cinemas are not perfect, but do offer potential to serve a function well beyond how they have been used over the past fifteen years.\u00a0 That being said numerous upgrades would be required to accommodate a new use, especially over the longer term. As such it would not be replacement that could be brought on line quickly, but could be part of a longer term strategy for providing public gathering space in the city.<\/p>\n

Then there is the issue of who would pay for such a renovation or similar facility which yields no easy answers and provides additional questions.\u00a0 The most fundamental of these is what is the relationship between \u201cTown\u201d and \u201cCrown\u201d and how should it manifest itself in the built fabric and public space of Ottawa?\u00a0 A complicating factor in this is the current regional politics that appear to run counter to the collective representation and experience that capital cities typically possess.{what does this mean exactly?}\u00a0 That being said it affords the opportunity to evaluate how we approach public gathering spaces in Ottawa.\u00a0 This will undoubtedly take time to address, but is a well-placed notion, given the ongoing discussions surrounding the potential new central branch for the OPL.\u00a0 It is an important evaluation to consider, given the current Federal Government approach to public space in Ottawa to determine a more diverse approach to providing public gathering spaces, and to reduce the impact of policy shifts that may continue to occur.\u00a0 The tension between Town and Crown is a constant in Ottawa and its impact on the public realm needs to be carefully considered.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor’s note: This article is cross-posted from Spacing Ottawa contributor Chris Warden’s new website dedicated to modernist architecture in Ottawa. As Chris explains, Capital Modern‘s inspiration is “a concern with the lack of value that is typically attributed to buildings and sites from this period in Ottawa\u2019s growth as a city…[the] site is meant toContinue reading “Considering Public Space in Ottawa: Library & Archives Canada Building”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7052,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[362,5297,5300],"tags":[4158,4160,404,4161,687,345,838,4162,4157,394,2338,468,718,1390,4159],"class_list":["post-7124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-architecture","category-civic-engagement","category-culture","tag-archives-canada-building","tag-archives-canada-building-editor","tag-arts-culture","tag-arts-court","tag-canada","tag-civics","tag-federal-government","tag-federal-heritage-building-review-office","tag-lorne-building","tag-ottawa","tag-ottawa-city-hall","tag-ottawa-public-library","tag-parliament-hill","tag-podium-building","tag-spacing-ottawa-contributor-chris-warden"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nConsidering Public Space in Ottawa: Library & Archives Canada Building - Spacing Ottawa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/ottawa\/2011\/11\/10\/considering-public-space-in-ottawa-library-archives-canada-building\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Considering Public Space in Ottawa: Library & Archives Canada Building - Spacing Ottawa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Editor’s note: This article is cross-posted from Spacing Ottawa contributor Chris Warden’s new website dedicated to modernist architecture in Ottawa. 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