Cartier Square Drill Hall

Cartier Square Drill Hall
Cartier Drill Hall in January 2005
General information
Type	Drill Hall / armoury
Location	on the bank of the Rideau Canal just south of Laurier Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Current tenants	The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own)) and The Governor General's Foot Guards
Inaugurated	1879
Owner	Canadian Forces
Design and construction
Architect	Thomas Seaton Scott, Dominion Architect
Awards and prizes	Classified - 1985 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings

Coordinates: 45°25′17″N 75°41′20″W / 45.421397°N 75.688822°W / 45.421397; -75.688822

The Drill Hall at Cartier Square is a dedicated military training facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It has been a local landmark since its construction in 1879. The drill hall is 70 meters (230 ft) long and has two 43 meters (141 ft) tall mansard towers.

The hall is located on the bank of the Rideau Canal just south of Laurier Avenue. The area to the west was once a large open field used for drilling, but today is the location of the Ottawa City Hall and courthouse.

The building was designed by Thomas Seaton Scott, first Chief Architect of the Dominion of Canada. The building is a rare surviving example of a military training facility built in the immediate post-confederation era when establishing a military presence and asserting the role of the federal government were important government aims.

Lieut. Paul Weatherbee, (1869-1925) who was appointed Chief Architect and Engineer from 1897-1905 was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of militia and defence buildings in Canada which were not designed by the Dept. of Public Works, for which Thomas Fuller, Chief Dominion Architect, was responsible. Weatherbe supervised and inspected Militia buildings, and designed Munitions Stores buildings, often erected adjacent to Drill Hall buildings. The largest of these works was located at the rear of the Cartier Square Drill Hall, measuring 150 feet by 70 feet, and used for the storage of weapons, uniforms, and ammunition.

Cartier Square Drill Hall, side entrance