North Park Armoury rehabilitation project in Halifax

[Colin Parkinson]

This is the home to my unit. the area to the North was the stables, the small area to the east was never purchased and was rundown shops. Had we purchased the area to the East, we could have had full vehicle access to the armoury and likely added extra classrooms, sleeping accommodations or at the very least another vehicle compound. The Armoury also used to host the BC Hussars. there was serious attempts to have the city take over the armouries, until the engineers realized that the building was overbuilt and likely to survive an earthquake. Now thank to poor longterm planning there is no parking and cramped compound for Gun Tractors that are far to big for the role.

 

[Kirkhill]

Most of them stand on prime downtown real estate and would probably fetch enough money to fund a new more modern complex slightly more suburbish with lots of parking for civilian and military vehicles etc.

I always liked what Delta Hotels did with the one in London. And yes, that tall tower is part of the hotel and built right into the old armoury.

It strikes me that the concept itself is viable for renovating existing armouries. It appears as if the parade square has been retained (although a pool has been added) while new accommodations have been built overhead. How much to buy the plans from Delta (or the engineering firm)? New offices, classrooms, comms centres (and wifi). I can see something like that fitting in quite nicely at Mewata and similarly designed armouries.

 

[FJAG]

... It appears as if the parade square has been retained (although a pool has been added) while new accommodations have been built overhead. ...

When you take a look at the building from overhead on Google Earth, you'll see that in fact the main structure is built right into the middle of the parade square and dividing what's left of the parade square into two parts - on one end is the pool area and on the other side of the building the lounge and dining facilities.

I think they had an absolutely inspired architect involved.

 

[Kirkhill]

When you take a look at the building from overhead on Google Earth, you'll see that in fact the main structure is built right into the middle of the parade square and dividing what's left of the parade square into two parts - on one end is the pool area and on the other side of the building the lounge and dining facilities.

View attachment 67486

I think they had an absolutely inspired architect involved.

Thanks. You're right on the architect.

 

[daftandbarmy]

This is the home to my unit. the area to the North was the stables, the small area to the east was never purchased and was rundown shops. Had we purchased the area to the East, we could have had full vehicle access to the armoury and likely added extra classrooms, sleeping accommodations or at the very least another vehicle compound. The Armoury also used to host the BC Hussars. there was serious attempts to have the city take over the armouries, until the engineers realized that the building was overbuilt and likely to survive an earthquake. Now thank to poor longterm planning there is no parking and cramped compound for Gun Tractors that are far to big for the role.


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I loved watching the troops try to get a bunch of MSVS' into a tiny parking compound designed for 18 pounder horse teams

 

[FJAG]

I loved watching the troops try to get a bunch of MSVS' into a tiny parking compound designed for 18 pounder horse teams

I was there when Moss Park Armouries was opened in '66. It has a garage in the basement and a garage door at the back giving access to the parade square. You could drive an M135 deuce and a C1 howitzer into both of those but only if the tarp was in the low position. One day the garage door was busted. The rumour was someone infantryman hadn't put their tarp down.

 

[RedFive]

This is the home to my unit. the area to the North was the stables, the small area to the east was never purchased and was rundown shops. Had we purchased the area to the East, we could have had full vehicle access to the armoury and likely added extra classrooms, sleeping accommodations or at the very least another vehicle compound. The Armoury also used to host the BC Hussars. there was serious attempts to have the city take over the armouries, until the engineers realized that the building was overbuilt and likely to survive an earthquake. Now thank to poor longterm planning there is no parking and cramped compound for Gun Tractors that are far to big for the role.


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The Beatty Street Drill Hall had its vehicle compound and small adjacent lot sold our from under it, and turned into a Costco and a "park" that's mostly full of drug addicts and dog poo.

In exchange we got an underground parking lot built for us where the gate is too low for a LUVW except for a tiny slice on one end where the ramp gives us enough room.

Now our POL and TAPV's can't be stored on site and what we do have in terms of parking for our vehicles is barely suitable.

Oh, and if there's a concert, hockey game, football game, soccer game or other such event the troops get to pay $25 to park on a parade night.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The Beatty Street Drill Hall had its vehicle compound and small adjacent lot sold our from under it, and turned into a Costco and a "park" that's mostly full of drug addicts and dog poo.

In exchange we got an underground parking lot built for us where the gate is too low for a LUVW except for a tiny slice on one end where the ramp gives us enough room.

Now our POL and TAPV's can't be stored on site and what we do have in terms of parking for our vehicles is barely suitable.

Oh, and if there's a concert, hockey game, football game, soccer game or other such event the troops get to pay $25 to park on a parade night.

That was an utterly shit deal and anyone with half a brain could see the problems, but no one important seemed to care.

 

[OceanBonfire]

The second phase of Armoury upgrades will feature green efficiency improvements, interior structural renovations and support work to the remaining outside stone walls.

In an email to CTV News, the Department of National Defence confirmed the cost of renovations has ballooned to more than $160 million, which is roughly $30 million over budget.

So far, one historic marker has been removed.

“Right above the original doorway were the initials of the reigning sovereign, Queen Victoria," said Beed. "That had to be taken away to make room for the larger door needed because of the larger vehicles going into the armoury.”

Finding matching stone was initially a problem for those overseeing the project.

“Nova Scotia had a lot of buildings built of stone from Wallace and Pugwash," said Beed. "For the armoury, they searched the world trying to match the colour of the stone. They said, ‘Hey, let’s go back to the original quarry.’ In a nearby farmer's field there was a quarry of the right stone.”

Designated a Federal Heritage Property, Hynes said a big slice of Halifax history is tied to the building.

Major upgrades near completion for historic Halifax Armoury

The Halifax Armoury has been a towering presence in the city since the late 19th Century. Historian Ken Hynes says, with its Romanesque architecture, the armoury is a throwback to an era when Nova Scotia was a major military player in the British Empire.

atlantic.ctvnews.ca

 

[ueo]

The London site was not achieved without much gnashing of teeth on the part of locals, histerical societies and the old guard militia. Delta perervered and what exists seems to blend all elements beautifully and has become one of the most respected buildings in the downtown. Have attended events or stayed there on many occasions. Sunday brunch was well above average ond usually booked solid. Post covid, don't know. Spin benefits to DND are not known.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The Beatty Street Drill Hall had its vehicle compound and small adjacent lot sold our from under it, and turned into a Costco and a "park" that's mostly full of drug addicts and dog poo.

In exchange we got an underground parking lot built for us where the gate is too low for a LUVW except for a tiny slice on one end where the ramp gives us enough room.

Now our POL and TAPV's can't be stored on site and what we do have in terms of parking for our vehicles is barely suitable.

Oh, and if there's a concert, hockey game, football game, soccer game or other such event the troops get to pay $25 to park on a parade night.

Why they don't move the BCRs into the 'Hoffmeister Hotel' is beyond me. There seems to be ample room for vehicles and troops there.

In the meantime, Beatty Street would make a great venue for scary movies. Or the 'BC Armoured Vehicles Museum'. Or both

 

[RedFive]

Why they don't move the BCRs into the 'Hoffmeister Hotel' is beyond me. There seems to be ample room for vehicles and troops there.

In the meantime, Beatty Street would make a great venue for scary movies. Or the 'BC Armoured Vehicles Museum'. Or both

Or even better, a facility in the Fraser Valley (Surrey or Langley would be ideal) with both classroom and vehicle hanger space to actually conduct meaningful training with access to a pool of recruits that doesn't exist in the downtown core.

But as a BCR, I can admit that would be incredibly beneficial to the unit and still refuse to give up our home. Can't have our cake and eat it too.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Or even better, a facility in the Fraser Valley (Surrey or Langley would be ideal) with both classroom and vehicle hanger space to actually conduct meaningful training with access to a pool of recruits that doesn't exist in the downtown core.

But as a BCR, I can admit that would be incredibly beneficial to the unit and still refuse to give up our home. Can't have our cake and eat it too.

Lots of BCRs live out that way.

Like this guy:

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan - President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

pm.gc.ca

 

[NavyShooter]

I can't wait for us to get kicked out of this building so that the rest of the renovations can get underway. Parts of the building haven't been used in years, and are almost certainly unsafe. The front of it sure looks nice though.

 

[RedFive]

Lots of BCRs live out that way.

Like this guy:

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan - President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

pm.gc.ca

I would argue most, but I can't say that for sure. Would certainly help recruiting and retention not to pay $25 for parking about half of the training nights in a year and no viable parking for weekend exercises.