Description of Historic Place

Located on the west side of the main commercial street in Cloverdale, the Bank of Montreal is a prominent two-storey masonry structure with a double storefront and central entry to the upper floor, set amidst mostly smaller scale commercial buildings. Now clad with stucco, this building is distinguished by its original ground level fenestration and decorative cornice. Built during the Edwardian era, it is one of the oldest surviving commercial buildings in Cloverdale.

Heritage Value

Built in 1912, the Bank of Montreal is valued as a good example of Edwardian era commercial architecture. Located amidst buildings of a smaller scale, the solid and substantial appearance of this building speaks to its original function, and exemplifies the image of security portrayed by the bank to inspire confidence in its customers. Original architectural features that have been retained include its sheet metal cornice and ground level fenestration of display windows, transoms and multiple entrances. Additionally, the locally-produced brick cladding of the building, now covered in stucco, distinguished the building as one of importance and permanence, given that the adjacent buildings were generally clad in less expensive wood siding.

As one of the few banks located in the Cloverdale area of Surrey during the early years of the twentieth century, the Bank of Montreal provided an essential service for many residents and was an important asset in the development of Cloverdale as the commercial centre of the municipality. It replaced an earlier, less imposing structure that the bank had occupied upon its arrival in 1909. Cloverdale was expanding rapidly due to the confluence of new railways and transportation routes in this area, and construction of this more impressive structure reflected local growth and prosperity. The bank occupied this building until the construction of larger premises in 1958, reflecting the continued growth of the community and the desire to modernize services. Since that time, the building has been used for general commercial purposes.

Source: Heritage Planning Files, City of Surrey

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Bank of Montreal include its:
- mid-block location on the main commercial street in downtown Cloverdale
- lack of setbacks on the front and side property lines, with side elevation light wells on the second floor
- form, scale and massing as expressed by its two-storey height, flat roof, regular rectangular plan and horizontal proportions
- masonry and heavy timber construction with brick cladding
- exterior details such as the sheet metal cornice at the front parapet with shallow brackets and dentil course, secondary sheet metal cornice between the first and second storeys, three street level entrances - two to the commercial spaces and one to the upper floor, and original storefront features such as transom windows and glazed entry doors
- regular, symmetrical fenestration: large plate-glass display windows with continuous transoms on the ground level, and triple assembly rear windows with segmental arched heads
- original interior ground floor banking hall features such as: vault with geared metal door (J. and J. Taylor) containing wooden compartments for safe deposit boxes; wooden floors; manager's office brick fireplace; and rear office with glazed door.