Description of Historic Place

The Service Building (No. 56), Storage Building, is located at the Central Experimental Farm (CEF) National Historic Site of Canada in Ottawa. The long, two-storey building is clad in board and batten wood siding on the ground floor and wood shingles on the second floor. The building’s shingled hip roof is marked by a broad overhang, dormer windows and two cupolas on the ridge. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Service Building is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value
The Service Building is associated with the agricultural research carried out by the Department of Agriculture through the experimental farms service in the early 20th century. It is associated, in particular, with the heightened interest in home preservation and canning of fruits and vegetables during the First World War and interwar years. The building is also recognized with the efforts of the CEF’s Horticultural Division to conduct and disseminate useful research in that area. Service Building is also associated with the second development phase at the CEF (1911-1919), when many new buildings were added to the site. Subsequent additions typify the third phase of development at the CEF (1920-1936), when additions to existing buildings were preferred over new construction.

Architectural Value
The Service Building is valued for its very good aesthetic design executed in the modified Shingle Style, which was applied to farm buildings on the CEF in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Also of good functional design, special features include a large number of windows for natural light and ventilation, roof cupolas connected to air shafts to ventilate the building, and an underground root cellar. The building’s very good craftsmanship and materials follow the established vocabulary of the original set of farm buildings in its use of board and batten siding on the first floor, wood shingling on the second floor with a slight outward flare at the floorline, multi-lite windows, shingled roof and decorative ventilators.

Environmental Value
The Service Building is compatible with the agricultural character of its experimental farm setting. The building is familiar to visitors and employees of the CEF.

Sources: Building #56, Service Building, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report INF, 96-135; Building #56, Service Building, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 96-135.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the Service Building should be respected.

Its very good Shingle Style design, good functional design and very good materials and craftsmanship, for example: the two-storey massing with basement; the shingled hip roof with a broad overhang and carved brackets, decorated roof ventilators, dormers and cut-away eaves over the windows; the board-and-batten siding on the ground floor and the wood shingled side walls on the second storey with a slight outward flare at the floorline; the special features suited to its function as a workshop for canning and preserving fruits and vegetables, including the large number of windows for natural light and ventilation, roof cupolas connected to air shafts to ventilate the building, and an underground root cellar.

The manner in which the Service Building is compatible with the agricultural character of its experimental farm setting and is familiar within the immediate area, as evidenced by: its modified Shingle Style design and materials which harmonize with surrounding buildings at the experimental farm; its physical and visual relationship to its neighbouring structures, including the Horticulture Building, Dairy Technology Building and the Main Dairy Barn; its role as a component of the larger farm complex of buildings located on the Driveway, which makes it familiar to visitors and employees.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

Service Building (No. 56) was constructed in three sections. The east end of the building was built in 1918-20 as a root, seed and implement storage building for the Central Experimental Farm (CEF). In 1924 a one- storey implement storage shed was added to the west end of the building. In 1932-4 the one-storey addition was increased to two storeys, a small boiler room was added to the north elevation, a second cupola was added to the roof, several windows and doors were added or relocated, interior stairs were relocated, and the interior was reconfigured. The boiler room was removed at an unknown date. The original building and subsequent alterations were designed by staff of the Department of Public Works under the direction of Chief Architects R.C. Wright and T.W. Fuller. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAF) is the custodian. The building is presently used for storage. The structure is a Level 1 cultural resource located within the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site.

Reasons for Designation

Service Building (No. 56) has been designated “Recognized” because of its historical, architectural, and environmental significance:

Historical Significance
Service Building (No. 56) is associated with the agricultural research carried on by the Department of Agriculture through the experimental farms service in the early 20th century. It is associated in particular with the heightened interest in home preservation and canning of fruits and vegetables during the First World War and interwar years, and the efforts of the CEF’s Horticultural Division to conduct and disseminate useful research in that area. Building #56 belongs to the second phase of development at the CEF (1911-9), when many new buildings were added to the site. Its subsequent additions typify the third phase of development at the CEF (1920-36), when a more scientific approach to agriculture was favoured, and additions to existing buildings were preferred over new construction.

Architectural Significance
In its original construction and subsequent alterations, Building #56 conforms to the modified Shingle Style used in the design of farm buildings on the CEF in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It follows the established vocabulary for the original set of CEF farm buildings in its use of board-and-batten siding on the first floor, wood shingling on the second floor with a slight outward flare at the floorline, multilite windows, shingled roof and decorative ventilators. The dormers and cut-away eaves over windows further enliven the roof line. The interior design and location of ground-floor openings has been adapted over time to suit ongoing functional uses. Special features include a large number of windows for natural light and ventilation, roof cupolas connected to air shafts to ventilate the building, and an underground root cellar.

Buildings: the Dairy Technology Building (#57, c. 1920) and the Horticulture Building (#55, c. 1919). The details of this relationship have changed with subsequent additions to all three buildings and with landscaping changes. Service Building (No. 56) maintains a strong aesthetic relationship with the Main Dairy Barn, located on the opposite side of the Driveway, due to its exterior detailing.
Character-defining Elements
The heritage character of Service Building (No. 56) resides in the following character-defining elements:
- Its adherence to the Shingle Style utilized on earlier CEF farm buildings. It uses board-and-batten siding on the ground floor, wood shingled side walls on the second storey with a slight outward flare at the floorline, and multi-lite windows. A shingled, hipped roof with a broad overhang and carved brackets is enlivened with decorative roof ventilators, dormers and cut-away eaves over windows.
- The incorporation of special features suited to its function as a workshop for canning and
preserving fruits and vegetables, including the large number of windows for natural light and ventilation, roof cupolas connected to air shafts to ventilate the building, and an underground root cellar.
- Its physical relationship to the neighbouring Horticulture Building and Dairy Technology Building, and to the Main Dairy Barn.
All maintenance and repair work, as well as future interventions, should respect these character-defining elements.