Confederation Heights

Confederation Heights is an area in south Ottawa, Canada, made up of mostly government buildings. It is bounded on the east by Data Centre Road, on the north and west by the Rideau River and on the south by Brookfield Road.

Confederation Heights includes the Clarke Memorial Centre (RA Centre), the Taxation Data Centre (Revenue Canada), the Edward Drake Building (formerly Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Communications Security Establishment), the Sir Leonard Tilley Building (formerly Communications Security Establishment), Canada Post Place (Canada Post headquarters), the Sir Charles Tupper Building (Public Works Canada), Hog's Back Park, Vincent Massey Park and Confederation O-Train Station.

History

Prior to the expropriation of the Merkley Brick Yard in 1954, the area had been a combination of woods, farmland, quarry and brickyard. The arrival of Federal government departments in the late 1950s - early 1960s had a significant impact on the area. In 1959, the Fire Chief of Gloucester Township (the area was incorporated into Ottawa the following year) raised concerns that road traffic caused by the 1400 new workers commuting to Confederation Heights would interfere with the firefighters' ability to respond to fires from their station in Billings Bridge. It was estimated that daily traffic on Riverside Drive west of Bank Street would increase by 3500 cars.^[1]

In 1961, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker inaugurated the Sir Alexander Campbell Building, the new headquarters building of the Department of the Post Office. The building, designed by architects Shore and Moffat was one of three which anchored the site.^[2] Public Works National Headquarters, opened in 1960 (Lithwick, Lambert and Sim Architects) was another. The third was the Sir Leonard Tilley Building. Plans to move various other departments to Confederation Heights changed over time. For example, Indian and Northern Affairs were suggested but never moved to the site.

The new government jobs also drove the development of neighbourhoods and infrastructure (eg: Brookfield HS, opened 1962; General Vanier PS, opened 1963) in nearby Billings Bridge, Riverside Park, and Carleton Heights.

A plaza, with fountains and benches, spread between the self-standing cafeteria building and the Canada Post building. To commemorate Canada's Centennial, a sundial was installed on the plaza. The plaque attached to its base read "Erected by Headquarters Staff of the Post Office Department to Commemorate the Centennial of Confederation July 26, 1967". The fountains and sundial have since disappeared.^[2]

Coordinates: 45°22′40″N 75°41′15″W / 45.37778°N 75.68750°W

References

1. "Fear Tieup When CS Are Moved". The Ottawa Citizen. Citizen Publishing Company. 3 November 1959.
2. "FORGOTTEN OTTAWA: Sir Alexander Campbell Building". Forgotten Ottawa. Retrieved 1 September 2015.