Dateline:09/23/99
Updated: 02/08/06
Modernizing the Canadian Parliament Buildings
If you have ever lived through home renovations, you can imagine how difficult and expensive a task it is to renovate a primary Canadian landmark - and keep it operating at the same time. That's just what's been happening on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, as the government gives Canada's Parliament Buildings a facelift.
The work is so extensive that Public Works Canada has a separate Web site to report on the renovations. A Treasure to Explore offers an insight into the challenges of modernizing the building systems, meeting current health and safety standards, and at the same time preserving these neo-gothic structures.
Parliament Buildings Renovation Schedule
The renovation project had to be spread over many years to avoid unnecessary interruption to the work of Parliament. The renovations started in 1994, and aren't scheduled to be finished until at least 2025. Even with that schedule, the House of Commons and Senate chambers will have to be temporarily relocated in the West Block while obsolete heating and ventilation systems are replaced, and new fire alarms, communications systems, and building controls are installed in the Centre Block.
Overview of Parliament Buildings Renovations
The Treasure to Explore site has an overview of the history and the work being done on each of the five buildings on Parliament Hill:
Stone Carvings on Parliament Hill
The Treasure to Explore site also has an interesting section on the stone carvings on the Peace Tower. Did you know that Canada has the only Parliament Buildings in the world where stone carving is still being done continuously? The Peace Tower alone has more than 350 carvings.
