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| Up in Smoke: The 1931 City Hall Fire In the mid 1870s, the City of Ottawa embarked on a plan to build a new City Hall. Located on the east side of Elgin Street between Albert and Queen, the original building was inadequate for the needs of a growing city. Donated by Nicholas Sparks to the City in 1849, the market building was Ottawa's first City Hall and also housed the police and fire departments. |
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| Local architects Horsey & Shard were hired in 1874 to design Ottawa's second City Hall next to the existing one. The ornate building was designed in the Second Empire French and Italian Style and had one tall taower and three small ones. The building was constructed using local Gloucester Blue Limestone and Ohio Sandstone. |
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| Opened in 1877, the new building held the offices of the Mayor, City Clerk, City Engineer, City Chamberlain, City Treasurer, Waterworks Commission, Board of Public School Trustees, Board of Separate School Trustees as well as the council chambers. A room 13' x 8' housed the archives and other records of the Board of Works. |
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| On March 31, 1931 City Hall was destroyed by fire. In total, 125 firefighters responded to the alarm. Seven firemen were injured falling through four floors and ending up in the smouldering debris of the basement. Much of the archives were lost but many paintings, furniture and documents were saved including a pastel portrait of Queen Victoria. The land would remain vacant until the development of the National Arts Centre, a federal centenary project. |
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| City Hall scrambled for new space, leasing three floors in the Transportaion Building at Rideau and Sussex, eventually taking over the entire building. The journey for a new permanent City Hall would continue for 27 years. Relics salvaged from the debris including the cornerstone, time capsule, bell, flag and carved Device of Arms have found a new home at the City of Ottawa Archives. |
