In the mid
1800s Parry Sound was a small settlement, consisting mostly of lumber
mills and was limited in its connection to other towns to messages delivered by boat. In1897, the Ottawa
Arnprior Parry Sound Railway was completed as far as Depot Harbour on
Parry Island. In 1901, a three mile long connection to the town was
built.
The Canadian Pacific Station on Avenue Road in Parry Sound was built in
1907-1908 in order to accomodate the growing population. The CP Station was then able to bring news, mail, family, tourists and
everything else you can imagine to town. Few would have guessed that the railway would close down the Parry Sound Station after the continuous use it received in its first years. It came to life again when VIA took it over in 1986, but shortly after 1990 the last west-bound train left the station.
The design of the station is
stick and shingle. It is styled with dramatic eaves, clustered windows,
cedar shingle siding and the 'rotunda' circular waiting room sports a
conical "witch's hat" roof. In order to retain these natural, elegent features only small,
necessary changes were made during its renovation in 2000.
The newly
renovated, renamed building was opened May 19, 2001. Since then, The
Parry Sound Station Gallery has welcomed thousands of people to its art
gallery and railway heritage display.
The Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) built this station in 1907 as part of its Toronto-Sudbury Branch
line, and the station remained an active link on this line until 1982.
From 1982 until 1992 the building provided quarters for VIA Rail and
CPR crews. It remained vacant from 1992 until 2000 when its conversion into an art gallery began. Reasons for Designation
This station has been designated a heritage railway station because of its historical, architectural and environmental significance.
Construction of this line signalled the CPR's intention to compete for a major share of the established Ontario market, even as its competitors developed alternative lines in the west. The Toronto-Sudbury line, of which this Station was a key component, was intended to give the CPR access to the Toronto markets. The station stands as a symbol of transcontinental railway competition, which at the turn of the century changed Parry Sound from a quiet backwater into a modern industrial centre and a tourist destination.
The design for the Parry Sound station is both practical and striking, a hallmark of many CPR stations. It was designed by the CPR's Engineering Department in Montreal under F.P . Outelius, and built under contract by David Chalmers, superintending architect. The building is a bold composition of a steep, picturesque roofline with a beIlcast canopy, and a massive comer tower. The original configuration of interior space remains largely intact today, despite some recent renovations.
The Parry Sound Station is a rare example of a first generation CPR Ontario station still on its original site. The Station was located in convenient proximity to the town core, a relationship that has not changed over the years. The site's height, crowned as it is by the Station's dominant tower, makes the station a prominent feature in the town. The building is considered by the town to be one of its major heritage structures.
Characteristic Features
The heritage character of the CPR
station at Parry Sound resides in its compact massing, in the
attractive patterns created by the windows, door openings, materials
application and its picturesque setting.
The most unusual feature of the Parry Sound station is its late victorian proportioning and compact massing. The small, linear one story building is dominated by the south end circular form capped with a conical roof. This feature is reinforced by the north end roof which sweeps to a graceful beIlcast canopy and surrounds the building. From the town at the bottom of the hill the station appears to be a rounded tower, giving it a castle-like appearance. This circular form and the massing of the building are vital to the station's heritage character and should not be altered. The view of the Station from the town should be maintained.
The fenestration of the linear east and west elevations is dominated by groupings of doors and windows topped with transoms. These groups of windows are set between the exterior canopy brackets and are lined in plan on an east west axis. The windows continue around the tower creating a gazebo-like effect. The bay ticket window, typical of these kinds of stations, is emphasized at the roofby a small, three sided, hipped dormer and is a feature well incorporated into the facade at this location. Many of the station's original windows and doors remain. In the event of future renovations, restoration of these significant character defining components of the building to their original design and placement would greatly contribute to the heritage value of the station.
The exterior materials of the Parry Sound station were originally cedar shingle wall cladding and metal roof sheeting. The shingles were painted in two tones with a change at the frame between the windows and the transoms. A base at the window sill height ran around the perimeter of the building connecting the various components together in a well balanced composition. The current materials are asbestos shingles on the roof and asbestos brick patterned cladding on the walls. The building would benefit significantly from a reinstatement of the original cladding materials painted to an earlier scheme.
The original configuration of the interior of the station remains largely intact. The main spaces of the general waiting room, ladies waiting room, baggage room and express room with their cross east-west circulation are of historical functional interest, typical of these stations and should be taken into consideration during any modifications.
The circular general waiting room (the tower) at the south end of the station provides a vista of the town and of some existing wooded areas of the station's surroundings.
Protection of the station in this rural setting would enhance the heritage character of this landmark.
The most unusual feature of the Parry Sound station is its late victorian proportioning and compact massing. The small, linear one story building is dominated by the south end circular form capped with a conical roof. This feature is reinforced by the north end roof which sweeps to a graceful beIlcast canopy and surrounds the building. From the town at the bottom of the hill the station appears to be a rounded tower, giving it a castle-like appearance. This circular form and the massing of the building are vital to the station's heritage character and should not be altered. The view of the Station from the town should be maintained.
The fenestration of the linear east and west elevations is dominated by groupings of doors and windows topped with transoms. These groups of windows are set between the exterior canopy brackets and are lined in plan on an east west axis. The windows continue around the tower creating a gazebo-like effect. The bay ticket window, typical of these kinds of stations, is emphasized at the roofby a small, three sided, hipped dormer and is a feature well incorporated into the facade at this location. Many of the station's original windows and doors remain. In the event of future renovations, restoration of these significant character defining components of the building to their original design and placement would greatly contribute to the heritage value of the station.
The exterior materials of the Parry Sound station were originally cedar shingle wall cladding and metal roof sheeting. The shingles were painted in two tones with a change at the frame between the windows and the transoms. A base at the window sill height ran around the perimeter of the building connecting the various components together in a well balanced composition. The current materials are asbestos shingles on the roof and asbestos brick patterned cladding on the walls. The building would benefit significantly from a reinstatement of the original cladding materials painted to an earlier scheme.
The original configuration of the interior of the station remains largely intact. The main spaces of the general waiting room, ladies waiting room, baggage room and express room with their cross east-west circulation are of historical functional interest, typical of these stations and should be taken into consideration during any modifications.
The circular general waiting room (the tower) at the south end of the station provides a vista of the town and of some existing wooded areas of the station's surroundings.
Protection of the station in this rural setting would enhance the heritage character of this landmark.
In 1981 the first step in the eventual preservation of the CP station was taken when Mayor "Bill" Hall & Council established a LACAC (Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee). That same year, the Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings (a federal body) placed the station on their list.
In 1982, LACAC began regular correspondence with CP to determine the railway's future plans for the station which, though still in use, was suffering from lack of maintenance & had become an eyesore as well as identify an interest in preserving the station and point out the importance of the railway to the early town.
In 1986, Mayor Roy O'Halloran & Council indicated to CP Rail the Town's interest in preserving & acquiring the station, appointed LACAC to represent Council in its negotiations with CP, & called for quotes from architectural consultants to do a Feasibility Study on the re-use & restoration of the station.
In 1987 the Study, supported financially by grants from the Town, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & the Ontario Heritage Foundation, was undertaken by Allen & Ensslen, with Bob Mitchell, architect, from Parry Sound as a principal contributor.
Throughout this period there was intense activity involving many provincial ministries & bodies. In addition to those already mentioned, the Ministry of Transportation, of Tourism, of Culture & Communications & of Northern Development & Mines all devoted much time & effort to the project. CP however insisted that any use of the building would have to involve moving it off-site - an act that was opposed by LACAC.
The Feasibility Study showed the Station to be structurally sound despite its derelict appearance. Council accepted the Study in early 1988 & appointed a special Advisory Committee but the project languished.
In1992, Council under Mayor Nancy Cunningham authorized LACAC to proceed with designation of the Station under the Ontario Heritage Act. Designation was not actually carried through until 1995, shortly after the federal government designated it a heritage railway Station under the terms of the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act.
In 1993 Canadian Pacific, which owned the southern section of Avenue Road, closed the road because the roadbed was collapsing into the abuttjng properties. Durjng negotiations over the Town's acquiring this street in order to reconstruct & reopen it the Town proposed once again the transfer of ownership of the Station. This time CP agreed to the transfer without the proviso that the station be moved. The federal designation promoited the railway ftom tearing down the building & may have convinced CP that a fence would be a sufficient safety precaution for those using the station. Re-zoning of the property also meant that certain high-traffic uses that were potential safety hazzards, would not be permitted.
In 1996 Council passed a by-law to purchase the CP station for $2000. The money for the purchase came ftom LACAC funds.