Description of Historic Place

The Canadian National Railway Station at Saint-Pascal Quebec is a compact 1 ½ storey pale beige brick building with a high pitched roof and broad bellcast eaves. It is situated in the centre of Saint-Pascal at 536 Avenue de la Gare, flanked by railway buildings adjacent to the Canadian National Railway (CNR) tracks.

Heritage Value

The CNR station at Saint-Pascal was designated a heritage railway station for its environmental, historical and architectural qualities.

Although this station was created in 1913, its appearance is much the same as the GTR station constructed in Saint-Pascal in 1859. Saint-Pascal was on the mainline of the GTR, the first grand railway project in Canada, and the village prospered from its early association with the railway. This prosperity continued as the GTR was absorbed into the Intercolonial Railway in 1879, then Canadian National Railways in 1923. When this station was created in 1913, Saint-Pascal was a thriving economic centre that had recently been named the Kamouraska’s county seat.

The form and details of this station clearly evokes the 19th form of original GTR stations in small Quebec towns, right down to the presence of enormous overhanging eaves. The station’s construction techniques and materials, however, date from the 1913 period, suggesting the station was either extensively renovated or replaced at that time.

Heritage value of the Saint-Pascal CNR station resides in its form, its exterior details, and in its status as a visible symbol of the important role of the railway in local history.

Source:
· Heritage Character Statement, Canadian Northern Railway Station, Saint Pascal, Quebec, February 1993. Heritage Assessment Report RSR-102, 1992.

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of the Saint-Pascal Canadian National Railway Station include:

- its rectangular footprint, 1 ½ storey massing under a steeply pitched roof with bell-cast eaves cut by single central dormers front and rear,
- its mid 19th century proportions and compact domestic form,
- its balanced definition,
- the regular placement of its apertures,
- the presence of a projecting telegrapher’s bay,
- the presence of other mid-19th century vernacular details such as cornice ornaments, ornate dormers, broad overhanging eaves, brackets, cut and rusticated stone foundation,
- the presence of materials and craftsmanship characteristic of the early 20th century: pale beige brick walls exhibiting early 20th century masonry techniques, mill-worked wood details,
- evidence of 20th century craftsmanship and construction techniques,
- the building’s brick solid wall construction,
- any original forms, fabric and finishes remaining inside the station, and in addition those refurbished / reconstructed to resemble earlier forms and finishes,
- continued legibility of the station’s original functional configuration and spatial volumes,
- the overall integrity of the building’s form, plan, material, and detail.