Description of Historic Place

The Bandstand (B9) is a conspicuous focal point within the park area located between the administration building and the waterfront. It is an octagonal structure consisting of an open-walled pavilion built of peeled logs in the rustic style on a base of concrete and stone. The bell-cast pyramidal roof is covered in wood shingles. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Bandstand (B9) is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values:

Historical value:
The Bandstand (B9) is associated with the development of Canada’s National Park system and early Canadian tourism. It was constructed as a Public Works project using Depression-relief funding, which stimulated building activity during the period 1930-1937. Open-air pavilions such as this were a common feature in National Parks during the first decades of the 20th century.

Architectural value:
The Bandstand (B9) is a very good example of rustic design within the National Parks program. It exhibits good quality materials and very good craftsmanship as distinguished by labour-intensive detailing embodied, for example, in a decorative musical note motif in the whimsical frieze under the eaves.

Environmental value:
The Bandstand (B9), within its unchanged Central Park site, reinforces the present character of the landscaped park setting. It is a familiar landmark to summer visitors and to Park staff.

Sources:
Bandstand (B-9), Central Park, Wasagaming Townsite, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Heritage Character Statement 85-054; G. Edward Mills, First Stage Buildings-Building 9, Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office Report 85-043 to 85-054.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Bandstand (B-9) should be respected.

Its rustic style and very good quality materials and craftsmanship as manifested in:
-the simple, low massing of the one-storey structure with an octagonal plan and bell-cast, pyramidal roof covered in wood-shingles;
-the open walled pavilion structure built of peeled logs;
-the decorative frieze under the eaves composed of musical notes and bars fashioned from twigs and in the rustic style;
-the base of concrete and stone;
-the simple weathervane.

The ongoing historical relationship to its unchanged site, the manner in which the Bandstand reinforces the landscaped park setting and is a familiar landmark within the Riding Mountain National Park, as evidenced by:
-its rustic style, scale, and materials compatible with the adjacent pergola and other Park buildings as well as the landscaped park setting;
-its distinctive profile familiar to summer visitors and to Park staff.