Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Officer Cadet Dormitory

The Officer Cadet Dormitory is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental value.

Historical Value

The Officer Cadet Dormitory, as one of a group of buildings constructed within the walls of the former Fort Saint-Jean, is closely associated with an effort to improve the district’s defenses following the 1837-1838 rebellion. Fort Saint-Jean remained an important military centre for the stationing of troops and supplies. The structure is also associated with a period of growth in the city’s commercial activity and its supporting railway, canal and bridge transportation links. One of the most significant stages in the development of the complex was its choice in 1952 as Canada’s third, and first francophone, military college.

Architectural Value

The Officer Cadet Dormitory is valued for its good aesthetic design whereby simplified vernacular forms influenced by British Classicism are evidenced in its rigid symmetry, rectangular form and classical proportions. The solid walls constructed of brick laid in common bond, demonstrate good functional design. The stonework, such as the dressed foundation, and the flat arches that span the regularly spaced windows, are also evidence of the building’s very good craftsmanship and materials.

Environmental Value

The Officer Cadet Dormitory reinforces the mid-19th century character of its former fort, now military school setting at Collège Militaire Royal. The building is well known to those who live, work and frequent the complex.