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Government of Canada Building

North Head, New Brunswick, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1994/09/29

Front elevation of the Government of Canada Building in North Head, showing the flat façade broken by two slightly projecting brick pilasters, flanked by two main doors, 1993.; Public Works and Government Services Canada / Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada, 1993.
Façade
Detail view of the Government of Canada Building in North Head, showing a semi-circular parapet wall which frames a round clock, 1993.; Public Works and Government Services Canada / Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada, 1993.
Detail view
Interior view of the Government of Canada Building in North Head, showing the original panelled wooden wickets, 1993.; Public Works and Government Services Canada / Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada, 1993.
Interior view

Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1938/01/01 to 1939/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2008/06/10

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Government of Canada Building in North Head faces the water and is prominently sited on a knoll located near the harbour. It is a one-storey, flat-roofed, rectangular, brick structure with a symmetrically arranged, Art-Deco inspired façade. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Government of Canada Building in North Head is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value:
The Government of Canada Building in North Head is associated with the federal government’s efforts to offset the effects of the Depression in a small community. The fishery-based economy of Grand Manan Island was in decline in the 1930s, and the construction of a government building was an effort to stimulate the local economy.

Architectural Value:
The Government of Canada Building in North Head’s design and form incorporates Art Deco and classically inspired details. The building’s exterior is distinct from its more classically derived contemporaries designed by government architects and this innovative, yet modest, design displays a high degree of craftsmanship.

Environmental Value:
The Government of Canada Building in North Head is compatible with the present character of its small town setting. Prominently sited near the harbour it is a familiar landmark within both the community of the island and the region.

Sources: Gordon Fulton, The Government of Canada Building, Highway 776, North Head, Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 93-118; Government of Canada Building, Highway 776 (Grand Manan Island), North Head, New Brunswick, Heritage Character Statement 93-118.

Character-Defining Elements

The following character-defining elements of the Government of Canada Building in North Head should be respected.

Its Art Deco style and good quality materials and craftsmanship, for example:
- the simple massing and rectangular one-storey form with its flat roof and formal symmetry;
- the brick walls topped by a stepped cornice and semi-circular parapet wall which frames a round clock;
- the flat façade broken by two slightly projecting brick pilasters, flanked by two main doors;
- the stylized stone speed lines above the doors;
- the substantial stone door surrounds, inscription cartouche, and the rusticated stone foundation.

The manner in which the Government of Canada Building is compatible with the small town maritime character of North Head and is a local landmark as evidenced by:
- its modest scale and detailing concurrent with the traditional local architecture;
- its prominent downtown location facing the harbour, and also through its role as a post office that increases its profile within both the community and the region.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Federal

Recognition Authority

Government of Canada

Recognition Statute

Treasury Board Heritage Buildings Policy

Recognition Type

Recognized Federal Heritage Building

Recognition Date

1994/09/29

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Government
Office or office building

Architect / Designer

René-Arthur Frechet

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

National Historic Sites Directorate, Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 89, 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

6434

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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