Description of Historic Place

The Tea Pavilion overlooks the Outaouais River on the south side of Cape Bonsecours at Manoir Papineau National Historic Site of Canada. The attractive, classic Italianate pavilion is a small, square, flat-roofed wooden structure with large windows. It is an ideal resting spot for relaxing and enjoying fresh air and views towards the river. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

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

Historical Value
The Tea Pavilion is associated with the involvement of three generations of the Papineau family lineage, in the development and occupancy of the estate property. The pavilion was the result of renovations carried out in 1910 to a greenhouse built in 1887 by Amédée Papineau on the foundations of a dovecote erected by his father, Louis-Joesph, in 1860. More indirectly, the foundations of the tea pavilion also evoke the theme of the seigneurial regime, as the dovecote that they once supported was for the exclusive use of the seigneur. Subsequently the building was owned by the Seigneury Club and Canadian Pacific Railway before the Parks Canada Agency became the custodians in 1993.

Architectural Value
The Tea Pavilion is valued for its good aesthetic and functional design. The classic Italianate design is seen in the building’s balanced proportions and vertical tripartite composition, where its open interior was suitable for light entertaining or the enjoyment of the vista. The survival of the cliff stone foundation, the woodwork and the windows, all exposed to the elements, attest to the fine quality of craftsmanship and materials.

Environmental Value
The Tea Pavilion is consistent with the overall picturesque character of the area associated with the 19th-century seigneurial estate. As such, it is compatible with the picturesque character of its estate setting at the Manoir Papineau National Historic Site of Canada and is a familiar building.

Sources: Yvan Fortier et Michel Bédard, Le lieu historique national du Canada du Manoir-Papineau (les édifices relevant de la juridiction de Parcs Canada), Montebello, Québec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 01-087; Tea Pavilion, Montebello, Québec, Heritage Character Statement, 01-087.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the Tea Pavilion should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design and good craftsmanship and materials, as for example:
-the classic Italianate composition of the pavilion as seen in its balanced proportions, tripartite vertical composition, roof terrace, crown balustrade and boxed pilasters;
-the removable window system and multi-light sash windows, which were salvaged from the greenhouse built by Amédée Papineau;
-the cliff stone foundations, well-preserved vestiges of the dovecote built by Louis-Joseph Papineau.

The manner in which the Tea Pavilion is compatible with the picturesque character of its estate setting and is a familiar building, as evidenced by:
-its overall scale, design and materials that complement its adjacent manor and its surrounding landscape, which reflects the picturesque aesthetic of the whole inspired by A.J. Downing;
-its high visibility at the Papineau Estate owing to its location near the river and its position close to the manor, which makes it familiar.