January 28, 2025 Gatineau, Quebec Parks Canada
Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of the D. A. Gillies Building as a place of national historic significance under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration.
Located at 35 Madawaska Street in the heart of Arnprior, Ontario the building is a striking example of the so-called "Dominion Style," which fused several European medieval revival styles and used materials from different regions of the country in an effort to establish a distinctly Canadian architectural approach. Chief Dominion Architect Thomas Fuller designed the building and was a key figure in the development of Canadian architecture in the 19th century.
From its foundation of local limestone to its Nova Scotian red sandstone decorative details and its lofty clock tower, this building embodies the architectural approach that Fuller applied to similar government buildings built across the country at the end of the 19th century. Post offices built during this time served many functions, hosting a post office and customs house on the ground floor, other federal offices on the second floor, and residential space in the attic. The D. A. Gillies Building was saved from demolition by David A. Gillies and his wife Jessie Gillies and repurposed in the 1960s, an example of the emerging heritage conservation movement of that decade.
The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada's past and present.
