Description of Historic Place

The Former Control Tower, also known as Control Tower B-88 and Building 88, is located within the boundaries of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Bagotville, in Quebec. It occupies a small lot bounded by the tarmac to the south and parking lots to the west and north. Built in 1953, the four-storey steel tower consists of three separate sections: two rectangular lower floors, an irregular hexagonal third floor and a glassed-in observation-control level. The tower is constructed of steel with a concrete foundation, and the exterior siding is mainly enamelled steel. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Former Control Tower is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, as well as its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The Former Control Tower is a very good example of a building associated with the expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces and the major construction program undertaken by the Department of National Defence (DND) during the Cold War. It is representative of Canada’s participation in international preventative military measures, particularly in air defence operations in North America. At the start of the Cold War, the Government of Canada reinvested in national security to build the infrastructure necessary for its military operations, with a focus on upgrading its air components. Although it was closed at the end of the Second World War, CFB Bagotville was reopened in 1951 as a training base for squadrons. Due to its role in controlling air space in Eastern Canada, the control tower was a vital link in the air-defence system of North America.

Architectural Value
The Former Control Tower is valued for its good aesthetic and functional design. The four-storey tower is 6.2 meters high by 5 meters wide, with an exterior clad in enameled steel siding, and is topped by a visually imposing glassed-in observation level. The separate volumes correspond to specific internal functional units. Aesthetically, the tower exhibits Modern influences, with paired corner windows on the lower levels. Good quality craftsmanship and materials are evident throughout the building. The tower was built according to standardized plans made by Barott, Marshall, Montgomery & Merrett, a firm commissioned by DND Directory of Works, making design and materials much more economical in the long term. It exemplifies accessible and cost-effective architecture.

Environmental Value
The Former Control Tower is compatible with the present character of its setting at CFB Bagotvillle, and marks the boundary between the tarmac and the auxiliary facilities. It has very good visibility because of its location along the airstrip, and by virtue of its height is a familiar landmark in the neighbourhood.

Source: Control Tower (B-88), 3 Wing Bagotville, Bagotville, Quebec, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Building Report, 04-022.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Former Control Tower should be respected.

Its good aesthetic and functional design, and good quality craftsmanship and materials, as evidenced by:
- its form and massing, comprised of three separate volumes: the lower two floors, the third floor, and the glassed-in observation level;
- the rectangular shape and clean lines of the lower two levels, featuring a projecting portico, and exterior walls clad in vertical enamel-steel siding;
- the two symmetrically aligned guillotine windows on the second floor that are separated by newel posts and wrap around the corners of the façade;
- the irregular hexagonal shape of the third floor, featuring horizontal enameled steel cladding, very clean lines, a door on the east side and an inscription on the main façade;
- the irregular glass hexagon on the upper level that is surrounded by a blue steel terrace and crowned with a blue steel balustrade;
- the exterior steel staircases attached to the entire length of the east side of the building;
- the elements that add volume, symmetry and detail to the tower, including the corner windows on the central portion of the main facade, separated by a slightly protruding unadorned newel post topped by a stringcourse;
- the elements which exhibit Modern aesthetic influences, including the overall proportions, the paired corner windows on the lower levels the design and scale of the galleries and roof deck, and the pipe railings;
- the open-concept design of the interior, with the exception of the ground floor, which is separated into three rooms.

The manner in which the Former Control Tower retains a historical relationship to its site, is compatible with the present character of its setting and is a familiar landmark in the neighbourhood, as evidenced by:
- its location within the boundaries of CFB Bagotville in Quebec, parallel to the airstrip, which is ideal for controlling air traffic in Eastern Canada;
- its overall scale, design and materials, which harmonize with its adjacent buildings in the airfield area;
- its role as a federal government building, which makes it a familiar landmark in the neighbourhood.