Description of Historic Place
CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a large, brick military structure located on a sloping site bounded by open paved areas. Its modern-classical design with a slightly pitched roof masked by stepped end parapets, features buttress-like piers on all facades. Large filled window openings mark the former drill space. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.
Heritage Value
CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.
Historical Value
CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is associated with the development of the Royal Canadian Navy training school at Naden. The commission of HMCS Naden in 1922 established the first permanent naval training center on the west coast. Post-war financial restraint produced a government strategy based on naval reserves. Reserve units were established across the country, but training was centered in Naden and Stadacona in the east. The increasing threat of war in the 1930s resulted in the expansion of naval training and the growth of facilities at Naden. Construction of Building 33-33A-33B required the first extension of the property beyond the original site.
Architectural Value
CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a good example of a modern-classical military structure. The building’s military function is expressed in its traditional form. The buttress-like piers on all facades are a stylized expression of the fortress motif typical of Canadian drill hall designs.
The Environmental Value
CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a dominant structure in the central Naden area, which reinforces the character of its military base setting. Highly visible from both parade squares and from the rear of the former Royal Navy hospital ward buildings to the northwest, it is a local landmark.
Sources:
Ian Doull, Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt-Naden, British Columbia, Federal Heritage Building Report, 89-204; Building 33-33A-33B, CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia, Heritage Character Statement, 89-204.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B should be respected.
Its modern-classical design and functional character, for example:
-its large rectangular mass, with large window openings marking the drill space;
-its main entrance centered on the long expanse of the primary façade;
-its side elevations that are symmetrically divided by stone-capped pilasters, which rise from grade to a level below the cornice;
-its contrasting red brick walls and white concrete trim.
The manner in which CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B reinforces the character of its military base setting and is a prominent local landmark as evidenced by:
-its high visibility and functional military appearance.
