Description of Historic Place

CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 is prominently sited on the edge of Hospital Road. The building is a two-storey, rectangular, gabled-roofed, brick structure. It has symmetrical massing and features large, regularly spaced, arched windows. A small overhanging roof protects the main entrance. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value:
CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 is a very good example of a building constructed for the storage and provision of naval weaponry and is central to the themes of imperial and Canadian naval defence. In 1913, it became a drill hall for the first naval reserve units created in Canada. From 1918-1922 it served as a dormitory for the Royal Naval College of Canada and subsequently as a temporary barracks for HMCS Naden.

Architectural Value:
CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 is a good example of a structure associated with the 1895-1904 Dockyard rebuilding program. CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Ordnance Stores, Building D77 displays symmetry and pleasing proportions, and good craftsmanship as evident in the high quality brickwork.

Environmental Value:
CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 contributes to a grouping of historic structures of similar design and materials. The building stands without a setback at the edge of Hospital Road where it is a dominant element and reinforces the present character of the dockyard. The building helps to unite the cluster of warehouses and former storage buildings in the immediate vicinity.

Sources
Ian Doull, Dockyard, CFB Esquimalt (82 Buildings), Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, British Columbia. Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 89-202; CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Ordnance Stories, Building D77 (former Ordnance Stores), Esquimalt Dockyard, Esquimalt, British Columbia. Heritage Character Statement 89-202.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Former Ordnance Stores, Building D77 should be respected.

Its functional design and good quality materials and craftsmanship, for example:
-the symmetrical massing of this two-storey, rectangular, gable-roofed building;
-the brickwork including the segmentally arched openings;
-the entrance, protected by a small overhanging roof;
-the large, regularly spaced, arched windows.

The manner in which CFB Esquimalt, Dockyard, Ordnance Stories, Building D77 reinforces the present character of Esquimalt Dockyard as evidenced by:
- its size and its highly visible location along Hospital Road which emphasizes its prominence among a group of turn-of-the-century buildings.