A large-scale conservation, rehabilitation and upgrade project for this invaluable heritage building was completed. Discover the story of the work that was done.
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View of the Parliament Buildings.
The Library of Parliament
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View of part of the Library of Parliament roof.
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View of the Library of Parliament roof and the Peace Tower. |
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View of the Parliament Buildings and the Library of Parliament seen from across the Ottawa River.
A national heritage treasure.
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View of the Library of Parliament's weathervane.
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View of the Parliament Buildings and the Library of Parliament.
The only surviving part of the original Centre Block.
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Interior view of the Library before work started.
The Library of Parliament houses one of the most important collections in the country.
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Exterior view of the Library under construction.
The Library Building took almost 20 years to build.
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Exterior view of the completed Library beside the original Centre Block.
Completed in 1876...
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Exterior view of the completed Library beside the original Centre Block.
...it was a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture.
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View of burning Parliament Buildings.
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On the night of February 3, 1916, fire broke out in the Centre Block.
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View of Library standing alone.
Only the Library survived.
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View of the Library amid the reconstruction work.
The Centre Block was rebuilt.
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View of the Centre Block reconstruction . |
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View of construction workers on girders of the Library dome.
In 1952, after a fire in the roof, extensive repairs were required.
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View of Library dome undergoing repairs.
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View of Library building beside the existing Centre Block.
There was no major conservation work again until 2002.
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View of Parliament Buildings seen from the Ottawa River.
Time, wear and weather have taken a heavy toll.
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Exterior view of Library windows, wall and stairway handrail.
Work was needed...
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View of the Library's weathervane.
From the weathervane...
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Interior view of pipes in the basement mechanical room.
...to the sub-basement.
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View of stonework on a wall.
Masonry had deteriorated.
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Close-up of a gap in a masonry joint.
Masonry had deteriorated.
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Interior view of a water-damaged area around a window.
Water had leaked in through the windows...
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Close-up view of the roof.
...and through the copper roofs.
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View of water dripping into a bucket in the attic.
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View of corroded pipes and water-damaged interior wall.
Moisture damage threatened the collections.
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Interior view of person walking on a worn wooden floor.
The floor had worn out.
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Interior view of an electrical outlet protruding above floor level.
Outdated building systems did not comply with current standards.
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Interior view of an electrical outlet with several extension cords impeding chair legs.
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Interior view of a hand reaching towards a sprinkler nozzle on a low ceiling.
Low ceilings in the basement interfered with the sprinkler system.
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Interior view of a person with gloved hands holding a large book.
Rehabilitation work is not possible without vacating the building.
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Interior view of the statue's head being cleaned before the move.
The Queen Victoria Statue also had to be removed.
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Interior view of the caged Queen Victoria Statue being moved on a dolly.
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Interior view of the statue's head during its move.
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Interior view of empty shelves.
More than 50 staff and 11 linear kilometres of books were moved...
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View of the Centre Block as seen through the windows at the temporary quarters.
...many to temporary quarters not far from Parliament Hill.
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Interior view of movers bringing books into the temporary quarters.
The Library continued to provide parliamentary services..
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View of architectural drawing of the Library building.
The work required...
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View of stone pinnacles.
repairing and cleaning of masonry...
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Interior view of the Library's parquet floor after the Library was vacated.
installing a new parquet floor...
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View of technical drawing of two of the three basement levels.
adding an additional basement level for mechanical systems...
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View of the main roof.
installing new copper roofs.
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View of empty shelves in the vacant Library.
After the Library closed in 2002...
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View of exterior scaffolding being erected.
...about 70 tonnes of steel scaffolding were erected.
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View of the installation of the architectural fabric covering the scaffolding.
Architectural fabric protected the exterior...
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Exterior view of the Library shrouded in fabric.
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View of three men working on a window.
so restoration work could continue...
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View of masonry worker on scaffolding behind protective fabric.
... through all seasons and weather.
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View of workers placing ironwork in a crate.
Heritage ironwork was removed from the roof...
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View of crane lifting section of roof.
In August 2003, the lantern roof was carefully lifted from the dome.
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View of the lantern roof on the ground behind scaffolding.
Rehabilitation work on the 17 tonne structure will be completed on the ground.
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View of partially dismantled decking.
Damaged copper and deteriorated decking were removed from the roofs.
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View of the trusses with new diagonal bracing.
Seismic bracing was added to the original dome trusses.
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View of roofer installing new copper on main roof.
2,000 square metres of new copper roofing were installed.
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Exterior view of wood lantern window.
Original windows were restored...
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Exterior view of wood lantern window.
...and returned to the lantern.
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Interior view of new thermal window in Reading Room.
New bronze-framed thermal windows...
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Close-up view of bronze window sash.
...were installed to improve energy performance.
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View of grout being poured into a bucket.
200 tonnes of grout...
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View of worker holding tube to masonry.
... were pumped into masonry walls to fill voids.
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View of a newly carved stone being put in place.
Damaged masonry was repaired...
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View of cleaned stonework.
cleaned...
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View of mason smoothing new mortar in joint between stones.
and repointed.
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Interior view of scaffolding in the Reading Room.
In the Reading Room...
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Close-up view of woodwork.
... the original carved pine shelving was carefully repaired and cleaned.
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Close-up view of conservator cleaning woodwork.
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View of new ductwork installed in the walls.
Updated mechanical ducts and electrical conduits...
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View of worker and new ductwork and cable conduits.
... were installed in the walls behind the bookcases.
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View of glass floor panel.
Glass now replaces linoleum in the gallery floors...
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View of wood trim on underside of new glass floor.
... a return to the pre-1952 condition.
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View of plaster conservator inspecting dome plaster.
Plasterwork in the dome was seismically upgraded.
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View of worker making new parquet floor.
A new parquet floor was installed.
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View of equipment demolishing old basement floors.
In the old basement, existing floor slabs were removed...
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View of container of rock being lifted from excavation.
... and 4,815 cubic metres of bedrock were taken out.
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View of excavated hole under the Library.
Excavation reached 14 metres below the Reading Room floor.
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View of new basement storage.
Two new basement floors were built to provide more efficient book storage.
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View of new mechanical systems in new basement.
Modern mechanical systems were installed in the third basement level.
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View of new mechanical system controls.
Optimum temperature and humidity controls were installed...
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View of new mechanical ducts.
... to protect the collections, occupants and heritage building above.
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View of refurbished lantern roof being returned by crane.
In November 2004, the refurbished lantern roof was installed.
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View of the reinstallation of the lantern roof .
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View of weathervane being lifted by crane.
The restored weathervane was returned to the lantern the following year. |
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The construction work is now complete.
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View of statue of Queen Victoria in Library.
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Exterior view of the Library roof.
The Library's heritage is once again secure for future generations of Canadians.
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Close-up view new copper roof and ironwork .
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Close-up view of conserved stonework .
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Close-up view of conserved decorative ironwork on lantern roof.
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View of Library and Parliament Buildings seen from across the river.
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View of Library and Parliament Buildings seen from across the river.
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Archival images courtesy of National Archives of Canada
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Produced by TELEWERX
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Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2006
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Canada Wordmark
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