'Iconic' smokestack a heritage landmark, city says - Action News
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Ottawa

'Iconic' smokestack a heritage landmark, city says

A brick smokestack that's towered over Ottawa's Little Italy for decades deserves heritage status, according to a city report dealing with a plan to redevelop an aging federal government complex on Booth Street.

Report calls for protection for parts of aging federal complex on Booth Street

The proposed redevelopment includes a public park. This artist's rendering imagines the smokestack preserved in the background. (Canada Lands Company)

Latest

  • The built heritage subcommittee approved the designation on Feb. 11.
  • It now goes to the City of Ottawa's planning committee on Feb. 28, 2019.

A brick smokestack that's towered over Ottawa's Little Italy for decades deserves heritage status, according to a city report dealing with a plan to redevelop an aging federal government complex on Booth Street.

Canada Lands Companywants to redevelop the 2.6-hectare property that was once home to the government's mining research labs. The planincludes 10 new structures up to 24 storeys in height, plus a park.

In areport to the city's built heritage subcommittee, staff recommend preserving several buildings, some dating back to 1909 and many nowvacant, as well as thesmokestack at the complex's central heating plant a feature residents consider iconicand a neighbourhood landmark.

City staff want heritage designation for this brick smokestack at the centre of a federal government complex on Booth Street in Ottawa's Little Italy neighbourhood. (Google Maps)

Part of war effort

The Department of Mines, the predecessor to Natural Resources Canada, built many of the structures in the first half of the 20th century under the direction of Ottawa architect W.E. Noffke.

One clutch of buildings,named A throughE in the image below,were built to examine and test metals as part of the Second World War effort.

Buildings M and Q, at the corner of Booth and Lydia streets, as they appeared in the 1940s. (Library and Archives)

Other buildings housed laboratories where research on minerals such as clay and gypsum was performed.

Both the rezoning application for the redevelopmentand the reportto designate some buildings under the Ontario Heritage Actareexpected togo beforethe city'splanning committee on Feb. 28.

The city is looking at protecting most of the buildings at the former federal mining complex on Booth Street. Only buildings C, D, L, and P would be demolished to make way for parkland.