Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is associated with the development of the Royal Canadian Navy training school at Naden. The commission of HMCS Naden in 1922 established the first permanent naval training center on the west coast. Post-war financial restraint produced a government strategy based on naval reserves. Reserve units were established across the country, but training was centered in Naden and Stadacona in the east. The increasing threat of war in the 1930s resulted in the expansion of naval training and the growth of facilities at Naden. Construction of Building 33-33A-33B required the first extension of the property beyond the original site.

Architectural Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a good example of a modern-classical military structure. The building’s military function is expressed in its traditional form. The buttress-like piers on all facades are a stylized expression of the fortress motif typical of Canadian drill hall designs.

The Environmental Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Building Nos. 33, 33A, 33B is a dominant structure in the central Naden area, which reinforces the character of its military base setting. Highly visible from both parade squares and from the rear of the former Royal Navy hospital ward buildings to the northwest, it is a local landmark.

Sources:

Ian Doull, Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt-Naden, British Columbia, Federal Heritage Building Report, 89-204; Building 33-33A-33B, CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia, Heritage Character Statement, 89-204.