Description of Historic Place

CFB Greenwood is a large airbase set into the gentle landscape of the Annapolis Valley. It is defined by the classic A-plan of its runways; Hangar 9 is located with other service buildings between the legs of the “A”. The hangar is a large, clearly identifiable mass with the characteristic arched roof and flanking brick towers that store the panels of the sliding doors. It sits in a flat setting of concrete aprons, asphalt paving and grassed areas.

Heritage Value

Hangar 9 at CFB Greenwood is a “Recognized” Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical value:
Hangar 9 is a very good example illustrating the theme of Canada’s development of a permanent military after the Second World War in support of its Cold War obligations as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), and its participation in United Nations military initiatives. Hangar 9 is associated both with active operations in anti-submarine reconnaissance and with training. Locally, it is a very good illustration of the substantial post-war expansion of Greenwood community and the investments made at the base in support of the national policy. Today Greenwood is the largest air base on the east coast.

Architectural value:
Hangar 9 is a good example of the standard 160-foot arched hangar of the post-war period. The arch in this case was built up of straight steel sections making the silhouette of the building subtly polygonal. The building functions well in response to a very straightforward programme and was well built in solid, economical materials. While the building is credited to the well–known firm of Ross, Paterson, Townsend and Fish, it was built from standard plans and is not considered a significant example of their work.

Environmental value:
Hangar 9 was sited to be convenient to the airport taxi-ways; its historical relationship to its site remains unchanged. The larger setting is the operational zone between the long runways. In this setting Hangar 9 is a compatible member of a collection of roughly similar buildings. It is a landmark for the immediate community of the base.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Hangar 9 that should be respected include:
- The frank expression of the structural steel arch, visible from the interior;
- The large, unencumbered interior volume of the maintenance bay;
- The office and storage spaces in two-storey blocks on the long sides of the building, including the central annex on the north façade;
- The polygonal silhouette of the arched roof;
- Its large, square footprint;
- The wide sliding aircraft doors at the ends of the building;
- The continuous bands of square windows on the long sides;
- The small square windows in the aircraft doors, which emphasize the scale of the doors; and
- The prominent red brick stacking bays at each corner.