Naden, Museum Square, Building No. 35

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Museum Square, Building No. 35 is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Museum Square, Building No. 35 is historically associated with the role of providing essential medical services in maintaining Esquimalt as the headquarters of the Pacific Station of the Royal Navy from 1865-1905. From 1922 to the mid-1930s it became a central element of a national medical program set up to care for World War I casualties and service personnel suffering from tuberculosis. The former hospital houses the first west coast Royal Canadian Navy training establishment, illustrating the evolution of Canadian control over all aspects of national defence.

Architectural Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Museum Square, Building No. 35 represents a significant phase in the evolution of hospital planning and design. It and Building 39 are part of a rare surviving Canadian example of a ‘pavilion hospital’. This building type was popular in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to counter overcrowding and the spread of diseases, through improved ventilation and greater separation of functions.

The Environmental Value

CFB Esquimalt, Naden, Museum Square, Building No. 35 is an important anchor and a visually integral part of the complex. It reinforces the character of its integrated setting within the Royal Navy Hospital complex. The landscaped setting is important to the historical and architectural integrity of the building. It maintains a visual and physical relationship with two linked buildings.

Sources:

Ian Doull, Museum Square (Former Royal Naval Hospital, Seven Buildings), Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, British Columbia, Federal Heritage Building Report, 88-154; Building 35, Museum Square, CFB Esquimalt, British Columbia, Heritage Character Statement, 88-154.