Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 35

REVELSTOKE CITY HALL

BUILDING ENVELOPE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT


FEBRUARY 2013

&

DONALD LUXTON & ASSOCIATES


1030 - 470 GRANVILLE STREET
VANCOUVER BC V6C1V5
T: 604 688 1216
www.donaldluxton.com

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

TABLE)OF)CONTENTS)

)
)
)
1.)INTRODUCTION) )
)
)
)
)
)
2.)UNDERSTANDING)REVELSTOKE)CITY)HALL)
)
2.1)Historic)Context) )
)
)
)
2.2)Original)Architect:)C.B.K.)Van)Norman)
)
2.3)Architectural)Significance) )
)
)
2.4)Documentation)
)
)
)
)
2.5)Statement)of)Significance) )
)
)
2.6)Original)Construction)and)Current)Condition)
2.6.1)Concrete)
)
)
)
)
2.6.2)Windows)
)
)
)
)
2.6.3)Front)Entry) )
)
)
)
2.6.4)Hose)Tower)Louvers) )
)
)
2.6.5)Original)Colours)
)
)
)
)
3.)CONSERVATION)GUIDELINES)
)
)
)
3.1)Standards)and)Guidelines) )
)
)
3.2)Conservation)References) )
)
)
3.3)Heritage)Equivalencies)and)Exemptions)
)
3.3.1)British)Columbia)Building)Code)
)
3.3.2)Energy)Efficiency)Act) )
)
)
)
4.)CONSERVATION)RECOMMENDATIONS) )
)
4.1)Exterior)Wall)Surfaces)
)
)
)
4.2)Window)and)Door)Assemblies)
)
)
4.3)Roof)Assemblies) )
)
)
)
4.4)Front)Entry) )
)
)
)
)
4.5)Exterior)Colours) )
)
)
)
4.6)Maintenance)Plan) )
)
)
)
4.7)Conservation)Recommendations) )
)
)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS)
)
)
)
)
)
APPENDIX)A:)RESEARCH)REFERENCES)
)
)
A.1)C.B.K.)Van)Norman))
)
)
)
A.2)City)of)Vancouver)Archives) )
)
)
A.3)Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives) )
)
)

))2)

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

))4)
))4)
))6)
))8)
10)
10)
12)
12)
16)
21)
22)
23)

)
)
)
)
)
)

24)
24)
25)
25)
25)
26)

)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

27)
27)
29)
30)
30)
30)
31)
31)

32)

)
)
)
)

33)
33)
33)
33)

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)1))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

1.)INTRODUCTION)
)

!
SUBJECT)PROPERTY:)Revelstoke!City!Hall!and!Fire!Hall,!216!Mackenzie!Avenue,!Revelstoke!
CONSTRUCTION)DATE:)1938?1939!
ORIGINAL)ARCHITECT:)C.B.K.!Van!Norman,!Vancouver!
ORIGINAL)CONTRACTORS:)Montcrieff!&!Vistaunet,!Vancouver!
HERITAGE)STATUS:)Revelstoke!Community!Heritage!Register!(enacted!2002))
)
Revelstoke!City!Hall!is!a!two?storey!early!Modern!building!located!at!216!Mackenzie!Avenue,!at!the!corner!of!Second!
Street.!Completed!in!1939,!the!building!was!designed!by!Vancouver!architect!Charles!Burwell!Kerrens!Van!Norman!and!
was!built!by!the!contracting!firm!of!Montcrieff!&!Vistaunet,!also!from!Vancouver.!The!structure!was!designed!to!combine!
the!functions!of!City!Hall!and!the!Fire!Department!and!is!distinguished!by!its!tall!hose?drying!tower,!which!punctuates!its!
flat! roof.! The! building! has! been! recognized! for! its! heritage! significance! through! inclusion! on! the! City! of! Revelstoke!
Community!Heritage!Register.!!
!
Although!the!building!is!substantially!intact,!the!exterior!and!interior!of!Revelstoke!City!Hall!have!been!altered!over!time.!
The! exterior! of! the! structure! was! originally! composed! of! painted! structural! concrete,! but! has! since! been! covered! in!
polymer! modified! cement! stucco.!Windows!and!doors!have!been!altered,!and!the!original!fire!hall!doors!have!been!
filled!in.!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)2))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
In! 2012,! the! City! of! Revelstoke! commissioned! Reid! Jones! Christoffersen! Ltd.! (RJC)! to! undertake! a! Building! Envelope!
Condition! Assessment! that! was! submitted! January! 21,! 2013.! The! purpose! of! this! Building! Envelope! Heritage!
Assessment!is!to!review!proposed!remediation!treatments!for!the!exterior!of!the!Revelstoke!City!Hall!building!envelope,!
provide!conservation!recommendations!and!assess!potential!impacts!to!its!heritage!character.!
!
The! Heritage! Assessment! examines! in! detail! the! history,! construction! and! significance! of! City! Hall,! and! assesses! how!
potential!interventions!would!affect!its!heritage!value.!Previous!interventions!have!already!impacted!the!appearance!of!
the!building,!and!moving!forward,!decisions!made!now!can!either!reverse!these!impacts!and!point!towards!a!restoration!
of! the! building,! or! move! towards! even! greater! impacts.! It! is! therefore! important! to! understand! how! each! proposed!
intervention!could!potentially!affect!heritage!appearance!and!value.!This!is!further!reviewed!in!Section(4:(Conservation(
Recommendations.!
!
Directional! references! in! this! report! are! based! on! Mackenzie! Street! running! north?south,! and! correspond! to! the!
descriptions!in!the!original!Van!Norman!drawings.!!
!

Revelstoke)City)Hall)[Stocks)Photo,)Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)P.151].)

!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)3))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

2.)UNDERSTANDING)REVELSTOKE)CITY)HALL)
!
!
!
2.1)HISTORIC)CONTEXT)
Arriving!in!the!Okanagan!area!in!the!1870s,!Surveyor!Arthur!Stanhope!Farwell!was!the!first!to!provide!a!layout!for!
what!is!now!known!as!Revelstoke!and,!by!1885,!Front!Street!boasted!general!stores,!hotels,!brothels!and!bars.!The!
new! community! was! arranged! in! accordance! with! Farwells! plan! and! bore! his! name.! Like! many! western!
communities,! where! buildings! were! constructed! primarily! of! wood! and! where! heat! and! light! were! provided! by!
flame,!Farwell!was!devastated!by!a!fire!in!May!of!1885,!destroying!many!of!its!buildings!and!businesses.!However,!
rebuilding!efforts!began!as!soon!as!possible!and!within!two!weeks,!many!of!the!buildings!had!been!reconstructed.!
By!late!1885,!construction!had!begun!on!the!Canadian!Pacific!Railway!(CPR).!
!
When!the!CPR!reached!the!townsite,!there!was!a!dispute!regarding!Farwell's!claim!to!the!land!and,!refusing!to!deal!
with! Farwell,! the! CPR! located! their! station! east! of! his! land.! In! 1886,! the! CPR! asked! the! federal! post! office!
department!to!change!the!name!of!the!settlement!to!honour!Lord!Revelstoke,!whose!banking!firm!had!provided!
the!funds!to!ensure!the!completion!of!the!railway.!A!court!case!between!the!CPR!and!Farwell!delayed!development!
of!the!town!for!many!years,!and!although!Revelstoke!was!incorporated!as!a!city!on!March!1,!1899,!it!was!not!until!
1897! when! landowners! could! get! clear! title! to! their! property.! As! a! result! of! the! dispute,! there! were! two! distinct!
business!districts!well!into!the!1900s,!when!more!and!more!businesses!relocated!to!"Upper!Town"!near!the!CPR!
station.! Many! of! the! buildings! in! downtown! Revelstoke! were! constructed! before! 1914! and! a! downtown!
revitalization! program! in! the! 1980s! facilitated! the! restoration! of! many! heritage! business! blocks.! The! revitalized!
downtown! has! attracted! many! visitors! to! Revelstoke! and! has! strengthened! its! status! as! a! cultural! and! heritage!
tourism!destination.!
!
City! Hall! was! originally! housed! in! a! small! two?storey! frame!
building! (left).! In! March! 1938! the! basement! in! the! building!
caved!in,!raising!questions!about!the!stability!of!the!building,!
and!it!was!condemned.!The!1930s!were!a!time!of!economic!
austerity,!and!there!was!discussion!of!fixing!the!building!at!a!
minimal! cost,! despite! the! citys! overall! growth! and! its!
inadequacy! for! serving! the! full! range! of! civic! functions.!
Council! was! not! satisfied! with! costly! rental! arrangements,!
with! departments! not! centralized,! and! decided! to! submit! a!
By?Law!for!a!new!civic!building!that!would!also!include!a!new!
fire!hall.!Mayor!Walter!Hardman!sought!support!for!this!new!
facility,! and! the! Building! By?Law! carried! by! a! large! majority.!
The! largest! recorded! vote! in! recent! money! by?laws! assured!
that! a! new! modern! fire! hall! and! city! hall! would! be!
constructed;!of!297!votes!cast,!233!in!favour!and!64!against.!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Revelstoke)City)Hall,)July)27,)1938)
[British)Columbia)Archives)Ac09528])

!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)4))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
Vancouver?based!architect!Charles!Burwell!Kerrens!Van!Norman!was!selected.!It!appears!that!he!aggressively!sought!
the!project!and!was!willing!to!cap!his!fee!and!also!guaranteed!that!the!building!could!be!delivered!on!budget!or!else!
he!would!forfeit!payment.!!
!
Van! Norman! was! selected! as! the! architect! on! July! 29,! 1938;! he! signed! a! contract! for! a! fee! of! 6%! of! the! cost! of!
building,!plus!traveling!expenses.!The!total!cost!of!the!building!was!not!to!exceed!$38,000.!He!began!his!design!of!a!
streamlined,!Modernist!structure!that!reflected!new!technological!advances!and!a!cutting?edge!style!influenced!by!
European!models!and!not!yet!seen!in!western!Canada.!It!was!a!very!daring!statement,!and!somehow!met!with!the!
approval! of! Council! who! viewed! the! plans! in! mid?August.! Van! Normans! design! was! startlingly! modern! and!
innovative,!with!a!tall,!hose?drying!tower!rising!above!a!minimalist!two?storey!horizontal!box.!There!was!a!complete!
lack!of!applied!ornamentation.!It!was!a!radical!departure!from!what!could!have!been!expected.!Van!Norman!worked!
briefly!in!the!offices!of!Townley!&!Matheson!in!Vancouver,!prior!to!their!commission!for!Vancouver!City!Hall,!1935?
36.!He!would!have!been!familiar,!however!with!that!modernist!design,!but!it!displayed!a!far!more!cautious!approach!
than!the!bold!and!asymmetrical!design!that!was!developed!for!Revelstoke.!Approval!was!granted,!and!contractors!
Montcrieff!&!Vistaunet!of!Vancouver!provided!the!lowest!tender!of!$32,668.00!and!were!hired!for!the!project.!
!
Work!started!on!the!new!building!in!October,!with!work!proceeding!to!substantial!completion!by!March!1939.!Prior!
to!completion!of!the!building,!Mayor!Hardman!addressed!the!Native!Sons!and!addressed!the!issue!of!the!radical!
design!of!the!building:!
!
Mayor&Hardman&told&the&gathering&that&he&appreciated&the&stand&of&the&citizens&in&voting&for&a&new&municipal&
building&and&he&was&glad&to&say&the&structure&would&be&in&use&by&the&first&week&in&March.&The&council&had&been&
activated&primarily&in&securing&much=needed&accommodation&for&the&fire&department&and&this&it&had&obtained&in&
the&new&up=to=date&quarters.&The&city&hall&portion&of&the&building&would&cost&about&$9,000,&and&makes&possible&
an&annual&saving&of&$840,&now&paid&in&rent&for&the&building&occupied.&Due&to&the&first&class&condition&of&the&
water&works&system&and&the&construction&of&the&new&fire&hall,&fire&insurance&rates&in&the&business&areas&had&
been&reduced&from&7&to&24&per&cent.&The&mayor&laughingly&remarked&that&he&had&heard&the&new&building&
referred&to&as&the&mausoleum,&the&portal&of&Connaught&Tunnel,&the&city&jail,&and&the&flour&mill.&He&had&
no&apologies&to&make&for&it.&It&was&a&modern&building&in&every&respect&and&he&was&prepared&to&guarantee&that&
for&the&value&received,&it&was&the&cheapest&building&erected&in&British&Columbia&in&25&years.&
Revelstoke&Review,!January!20,!1939:!Zeal&and&Earnestness&Lacking&in&our&Democratic&System.&
&
The! new! City! Hall! was! open! in! time! for! the! Citys! fortieth! birthday,! but! work! continued! on! until! April,! when! the!
exterior!was!painted!and!the!Fire!Department!moved!in.!The!building!retains!its!role!as!municipal!headquarters!and!
has!effectively!served!the!community!for!more!than!seven!decades.!The!Fire!Department!moved!out!in!1982,!with!
their!space!now!absorbed!into!the!office!use!of!City!Hall.!
!
!
&
&
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)5))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.2)ORIGINAL)ARCHITECT:)C.B.K.)VAN)NORMAN)
!
Left:)C.B.K.)Van)Norman,)circa)1946)[City)of)
Vancouver)Archives)Port)P1440].)

!
Charles! Burwell! Kerrens! Van! Norman! was!
born!in!Meaford,!Ontario!on!March!20,!1907!
and! attended! public! school! in! Wingham,!
Ontario.! He! later! moved! to! Winnipeg! to!
enroll! at! St.! John's! College! and! entered! the!
School! of! Architecture! at! the! University! of!
Manitoba! in! 1924.! Upon! graduating! from!
that! institution! in! 1928! he! joined! the! office!
of! Over! &! Munn! in! Winnipeg,! and! after!
working! there! for! a! six?month! period! he!
moved! to! Vancouver! and! joined! Townley! &!
Matheson! to! assist! with! the! design! and!
preparation! of! the! drawings! for! the!
Vancouver! Stock! Exchange.! Because! of! the!
economic!downturn!after!October!1929,!Van!
Norman! was! forced! to! leave! this! office! and!
join!the!staff!of!the!Canadian!Pacific!Railway!
Construction! Department! as! local! Site!
Supervisor!for!the!construction!of!the!C.P.R.!
Hotel!in!Vancouver.!In!1930!he!commenced!
his! own! practice! in! Vancouver! and! during!
the! next! ten! years! specialized! in! the! design!
of!private!residences!in!the!Lower!Mainland!
region! of! British! Columbia.! He! had! a!
particular! interest! in! the! techniques! of!
prefabrication!for!wood!frame!houses,!often!
executed! in! a! dramatic! International!
Modern! style,! and! he! can! be! credited! with!
being!one!of!first!architects!in!Vancouver!to!
introduce! this! new! aesthetic! to! the! West!
Coast.!!
!
Van! Normans! modernist! masterpiece! was!
the! new! City! Hall! for! Revelstoke,! 1939,! an!
uncompromising!design!that!was!startling!for!its!time!and!context.!Another!project!was!the!new!Company!Store!in!
Powell! River,! 1940?41,! which! was! so! at! odds! with! the! townsite's! traditional! architecture! that! people! thought! "a!
spaceship! had! landed."! He! was! called! upon! by! the! British! government! in! 1944! to! advise! them! on! the! design! and!
prefabrication!of!one!thousand!timber!houses!which!were!shipped!to!the!United!Kingdom!as!part!of!their!postwar!
reconstruction!programme,!and!many!of!his!inventive!ideas!for!residential!design!and!prefabrication!were!adapted!
from!his!own!experience!in!designing!his!own!house!in!Vancouver!in!1939.!!
!
At!six!foot!four!inches!in!height!and!230!pounds,!"Charlie"!was!a!presence!as!immense!as!his!name.!Known!for!his!
extravagance,!he!was!called!"the!meanest!piano!in!town."!His!commissions!after!1950!included!Park!Royal!Centre,!
West!Vancouver,!which!was!the!first!shopping!centre!to!be!erected!on!the!West!Coast!of!Canada,!and!the!Maritime!
Museum,! Ogden! Avenue! (1957)! where! the! RCMP! boat! the! 'St.! Roch'! is! permanently! displayed.! Van! Norman!
conceived!many!of!the!high!rise!apartment!towers!in!the!West!End!adjacent!to!Stanley!Park,!the!most!notable!being!
that! of! Beach! Towers,! Beach! Avenue! (1965),! the! design! for! which! he! was! given! the! Centennial! Award! from! the!
Canadian!Housing!Design!Council.!!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)6))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!
Van! Norman! died! in! Vancouver! on! September! 13,!
1975.! The! Vancouver! City! Archives! holds! an! extensive!
collection!of!his!drawings!documenting!more!than!five!
hundred!of!his!projects!built!between!1930!and!1955.!
His!very!successful!career!helped!define!modernism!in!
British! Columbia! and! Vancouver,! in! particular,! where!
he! is! credited! with! the! design! of! extant! landmarks!
including! the! Beach! Towers,! Maritime! Museum! and!
Burrard!Building.!
!
!
C.B.K.)Van)Norman,)1970s)[Vancouver)Sun].)

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)7))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.3)ARCHITECTURAL)SIGNIFICANCE)
)
Left:)Powell)River)Company)Store,)1940c41,)by)C.B.K.)
Van)Norman)[Powell)River)Historical)Museum)&)
Archives)Association)#2083])

!
!
Van&Norman's&most&important&designs&from&the&late&
1930s&include&the&Revelstoke&City&Hall,&a&striking&
and&undoubtedly&controversial&civic&work&
reminiscent&of&the&Italian&Rationalist&designs&of&
Giuseppe&Terragni.&This&little=known&and&underrated&
landmark&is&certainly&one&of&the&most&refined&
examples&of&the&modernist&style&in&Canada,&and&is&
as&significant&as&his&scheme&for&the&Powell&River&
Stores,&Powell&River,&B.C.,&executed&just&two&years&
later.&
Robert!Hill,!Biographical!Dictionary!of!Architects!in!
Canada!1800?1950.&
!
Van!Norman!was!a!committed!modernist!in!his!approach!and!sensibilities.!He!was!clearly!influenced!by!the!work!of!
the!European!modernists,!at!a!time!when!their!work!was!not!universally!accepted!in!North!America.!Several!of!his!
projects!were!clearly!influenced!by!the!work!of!Giuseppe!Terragni!(1904?1943),!who!pioneered!the!Italian!Modern!
Movement.!Terragnis!work!was!based!on!the!principles!of!the!International!Style,!but!followed!a!strictly!Rationalist!
sensibility!in!terms!of!layout!and!lack!of!applied!ornamentation.!!
!

!!

Left:)Villa)Bianca,)Seveso)Italy,)Giuseppe)Terragni)Architect,)1937.))
Right:)Novocomum,)Como)Italy,)Giuseppe)Terragni)Architect,)1929.)

!
Revelstoke! City! Hall! is! unique! as! one! of! the! first! examples! to! be! built! in! western! Canada! that! demonstrated! the!
influence!of!European!Modernism!and!Rationalism.!It!is!therefore!of!great!architectural!significance!as!a!pioneering!
modernist! design.! As! such! it! is! of! provincial! significance! for! its! architecture! and! is! notable! likely! within! a! national!
context!as!a!pioneering!work!in!a!style!that!would!gain!further!acceptance!in!the!postwar!era.!
!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)8))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

!!

Interior)features)at)the)time)of)completion)(Stocks)Photos,)Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives].)

!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)9))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.4)DOCUMENTATION)
!

Original)Plans)for)Revelstoke)City)Hall)[City)of)Vancouver)Archives])

!
As!part!of!this!Heritage!Assessment,!research!was!undertaken!to!determine!the!extent!of!documentation!available,!
which! would! assist! in! determining! the! original! appearance! and! characteristics! of! the! building! and! the! extent! of!
interventions! over! time.! Fortunately! the! original! plans! are! included! as! part! of! the! Van! Norman! fonds! that! were!
deposited!at!the!City!of!Vancouver!Archives![C.B.K.!Van!Norman!fonds!Add.MSS.755?435:!Job!38?30!Architectural!
and!Structural!Plans!and!Details].!No!further!documentation!exists!in!this!source!except!one!archival!photograph.!
!
In!addition,!the!Revelstoke!Museum!&!Archives!maintains!extensive!records!on!the!building,!including!newspaper!
clippings,! correspondence,! contracts,! accounts! and! archival! photos.! Included! in! the! collection! is! a! full! set! of! the!
original!specifications.!
!
Together,!this!provides!a!complete!range!of!documentation!of!the!original!construction!of!the!building,!which!has!
informed!the!Heritage!Assessment.!Archival!documentation!is!listed!in!Appendix(A:(Research(References.!
!
)
2.5)STATEMENT)OF)SIGNIFICANCE)
The!following!is!the!existing!Statement!of!Significance,!which!was!retrieved!from!<historicplaces.ca>.!No!revisions!
have!been!made;!please!note!that!it!is!not!exhaustive!of!character?defining!elements!(such!as!the!central!flagpole)!
and!does!not!include!interior!elements.!
!
DESCRIPTION)OF)HISTORIC)PLACE)
The!Revelstoke!City!Hall!is!a!two?storey!flat?roofed!International!Style!building!situated!at!216!Mackenzie!Avenue,!
at!the!corner!of!Mackenzie!Avenue!and!Second!Street!in!Revelstoke.!The!roof!is!punctuated!by!the!tall!hose?drying!
tower!built!for!the!original!occupant!of!the!eastern!section,!the!Fire!Department.!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)10))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!
HERITAGE)VALUE)
The!value!of!the!Revelstoke!City!Hall!lies!in!its!connection!with!the!growth!and!development!of!Revelstoke.!By!the!
1930s,!the!City!administration!had!outgrown!the!small!two?storey!City!Hall,!and!Mayor!Walter!Hardman!and!his!
Council!decided!to!construct!a!new!one.!Rather!than!use!a!historicizing!style,!the!city!commissioned!a!modernist!
design!which!creates!a!'streamline'!form!that!is!closely!associated!with!speed!and!technological!advances!of!that!
time.!This!was!one!of!the!first!modernist!civic!buildings!built!outside!of!the!major!urban!areas!of!the!province.!The!
Fire!Department!occupied!the!rear!portion!of!the!building!until!they!moved!to!a!new!building!in!1982.!The!interior!
was!then!rehabilitated!for!civic!use.!
!
The! Revelstoke! City! Hall! has! heritage! value! as! one! of! the! early! works! of! visionary! modernist! Charles! Burwell!
Kerrens!Van!Norman.!Born!in!Meaford,!Ontario!in!1907,!he!studied!architecture!at!the!University!of!Manitoba!and!
came! to! Vancouver! in! 1928.! According! to! several! sources,! the! Revelstoke! City! Hall! was! "an! uncompromising!
design!that!was!startling!for!its!time!and!context."!His!domestic!work!in!the!1930s!was!gentle!in!modernity,!using!
variations! on! the! Cape! Cod! Cottage.! However,! his! early! public! buildings! are! uncompromisingly! modern.! Van!
Norman!received!very!few!large?scaled!commissions!until!the!1950s,!when!other!architects!had!caught!up!to!him!
stylistically! and! the! post?war! populace! believed! optimistically! that! a! new! ahistorical! style! would! issue! in! a! new!
world!order.!Van!Norman!designed!many!offices,!apartments,!and!public!buildings!in!the!1950s!and!1960s,!as!well!
as! a! major! shopping! centre! (Park! Royal! Shopping! Centre,! West! Vancouver,! 1950! jointly! with! J.! C.! Page).! In! the!
1940s!and!1950s,!Ned!Pratt,!Van!Norman!and!the!other!first?generation!modernists!created!a!distinctive!modern!
and!western!idiom!and!opened!the!door!for!a!younger!generation!of!architects!who!adopted!a!freer,!and!more!
expressive,!manner.!
!
There!is!also!heritage!value!in!the!International!Style!design.!The!style!began!in!Europe!at!the!Bauhaus!and!spread!
through! North! America! when! European! architects! fled! the! war?ravaged! continent! for! new! lives! in! the! United!
States!and!Canada,!bringing!their!new!ideas!with!them.!International!Style!architects!gave!new!emphasis!to!the!
expressions! of! structure,! the! lightening! of! mass,! and! the! enclosure! of! dynamic! spaces.! Buildings! were!
characterized! chiefly! by! regular,! unadorned! geometric! forms,! open! interiors,! and! the! use! of! glass,! steel,! and!
reinforced!concrete.!Architects!used!modern!materials!and!employed!modern!technology!to!create!dynamic!new!
forms.!Unlike!other!twentieth!century!architectural!forms,!there!were!no!historical!precedents.!
!
CHARACTERcDEFINING)ELEMENTS)
Character?defining!elements!of!the!Revelstoke!City!Hall!include:!
form,!scale!and!massing!
characteristics!of!the!International!Style,!including!horizontal!emphasis!as!exemplified!by!grooves!in!the!
reinforced!concrete!wall!surface,!use!of!contemporary!materials,!flat!roof,!rounded!corners,!horizontal!
bands!of!concrete,!emphasis!on!sharp?angled!shapes!
fire!department!hose?drying!tower!
corner!location!
prominence!on!the!skyline!
pattern!of!fenestration!
glass!blocks!surrounding!entry!door!on!east!elevation!
planters!flanking!main!entrance!and!large!window!on!south!elevation!
mature!coniferous!trees!to!either!side!of!main!entrance!
original!flag!holders!on!east!and!south!elevations!
)
)

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)11))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.6)ORIGINAL)CONSTRUCTION)AND)CURRENT)CONDITION)
!
2.6.1)CONCRETE)

Revelstoke)City)Hall)under)construction,)1939)[Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)#4158].)

!
The! exterior! of! the! building! was! constructed! of! monolithic! cast?in?place! reinforced! concrete,! used! as! both! a!
structural! and! a! finishing! material.! The! concrete! was! board?formed,! a! typical! method! at! the! time,! except! on! the!
two! main! facades,! where! a! new! material,! plywood,! was! used! to! line! forms! to! provide! the! smoothest! possible!
surface.!Horizontal!battens!were!inserted!to!provide!shadow!bands!or!streamlining,!which!also!helped!disguise!
the!joints!between!the!plywood.!These!techniques!are!outlined!in!the!original!specifications.!The!use!of!plywood!as!
a!forming!material!would!have!been!relatively!innovative!at!the!time.!
!
!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)12))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
EXTERIOR)FINISHES:)SPECIFICATIONS)
!
CONCRETE)
Forms:!Note!that!all!concrete!forms!on!2nd!Avenue,!and!McKenzie!exterior!shall!be!lined!with!!
Sylvaply!plywood.!
Patching:!After!the!forms!are!removed!any!rough!or!porous!spots!in!the!concrete!must!be!cleaned!out!
carefully!and!the!places!filled!properly!and!in!a!workmanlike!manner!with!grouting!mixed!1?3.!Bolt!
holes!shall!be!plugged!both!sides!of!walls!with!corks!set!in!1!and!holes!flushed!up!with!cement!
mortar.!
!
LATHING)&)PLASTERING:)FINAL)
All!exposed!concrete!work!shall!be!painted!on!completion,!with!all!honey?combing!filled!with!a!mix!of!
sand!&!cement!1!to!2!trowelled!to!match!the!adjoining!surfaces.!
!
!

Advertisement)for)Sylvaply)Plywood)[collection)Donald)Luxton].)

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)13))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

Revelstoke)City)Hall)at)time)of)completion;)name)and)date)signs)have)not)been)installed.)Note)very)crisp)lines)of)concrete)
work)and)contrast)between)wall)surfaces)and)window)sash)and)trim)[Stocks)Photo,)Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives].)

!
In! some! areas! of! the! building! the!
original! surfaces! may! be! seen!
including! the! north! side,! part! of!
the! rear! faade! and! the! basement!
lightwells! on! the! south! faade.!
Where! the! original! concrete! is!
visible,! a! smooth! painted! surface!
can!be!is!evident.!Removal!of!later!
paint! layers! exposes! the! original!
layer!of!ivory?coloured!flat!paint.!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)14))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!
In! approximately! 1972,! a! cost! of!
polymer! modified! cement! stucco!
coating! was! applied! to! the! exterior! of!
the! building,! on! the! west,! east! and!
south! facades.! This! has! had! several!
impacts.! First,! it! obscures! the! clean,!
simple! detailing! that! is! so! important! to!
the!architectural!and!heritage!character!
of! the! building.! Second,! it! introduces! a!
different!texture!to!the!surfaces!that!is!
not! as! smooth! as! the! original.! Third,! it!
distorts! the! detailing! around! the!
windows! and! doors,! which! was!
designed!to!be!integral!with!the!original!
concrete.!
!
Over! time,! the! adhesion! of! the! stucco!
to!the!concrete!has!started!to!fail.!This!
has! resulted! in! visible! cracking! and!
there! appears! to! be! substantial! delamination.! The! RJC! Assessment! states:! The! exterior! walls! are! built! of! cast! in!
place! concrete! with! smooth! and! board! form! finishes.! The! outside! of! the! concrete! was! coated! with! a! thin! acrylic!
stucco,! reportedly! after! about! 1972.! Several! coats! of! paint! have! been! applied! since! then.! The! condition! of! the!
plaster!ranges!from!excellent!to!poor,!mostly!depending!upon!the!amount!of!bond!to!the!substrate!concrete.!The!
plaster!was!applied!over!a!painted!on!layer!of!acrylic!bonding!agent.!Some!remains!of!the!original!paint!are!visible!
below!the!bonding!agent!layer!indicating!marginal!surface!preparation!at!the!time!of!applications.!
!
The!RJC!Assessment!concludes:!Based!on!our!condition!
assessment,! elements! of! the! building! envelope! for! the!
Revelstoke! City! Hall! appear! to! be! in! good! condition! for!
their! age.! The! concrete! walls! are! in! good! condition,!
however!plaster!applied!to!the!walls!in!the!1970s!or!80s!
is!delaminating!and!should!be!removed.!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Left:)Sample)test)patch)removal)of)the)later)applied)stucco)on)
the) hose) tower,) using) mechanical) removal.) Note) crisp) edges)
of)shadow)banding)in)original)concrete.)

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)15))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.6.2)WINDOWS)
The! configuration! and! detailing! of! the! original! windows! and! doors! are! indicated! in! the! original! plans! and!
photographs.!There!were!some!window!and!door!replacements!in!1983,!after!the!Fire!Department!moved!out!and!
the!fire!hall!bay!doors!were!filled!in.!New!sealed!glass!units!were!installed!in!some!windows!in!1998!and!2003.!
!
The!RJC!Assessment!states:!Wood!framed!windows!appear!to!be!a!combination!of!some!original!frames!with!new!
IGUs!installed,!and!replacement!frames!replaced!approximately!30!years!ago,!and!some!of!these!with!new!IG!units!
installed.! Some! window! frames! show! signs! of! weathering,! however! all! appear! to! have! been! repainted! quite!
recently!and!appear!to!be!in!serviceable!condition.!
!

!
!
As! shown! in! the! original! plans,! the! window! sections! were! detailed! to! be! attached! directly! to! the! cast! concrete!
walls.! There! are! two! unique! glazed! assemblies! on! the! south! faade;! one! is! a! 16?unit! two?story! high! window,!
counterpointed!by!a!curved!window!assembly!of!four!tiers!of!five!panes!each,!set!on!concrete!ledges.!These!feature!
windows,! as! noted! in! the! original! plans,! were! designed! to! be! constructed! of! Teak,! presumably! to! allow! for! the!
greater! spans! and! to! allow! for! the! thinnest! possible! mullions.! They! were! not! designed! to! have! any! openable!
sections.!
!
The! existing! wooden! framing! elements! of! these! windows! are! extant! and! appear! to! be! in! good! condition.! Sealed!
double?glazed!units!have!been!inserted!and!the!additional!weight!does!not!appear!to!have!caused!any!sagging!or!
deterioration.!One!operable!window!has!been!inserted!in!the!16?unit!assembly.!The!window!frames!appear!to!be!in!
very!good!condition!on!the!inside.!
!
The!windows!on!the!north!faade!are!described!in!Section(2.6.3.!The!windows!on!the!east!(alley)!faade!have!been!
either! blocked! up! or! replaced.! There! are! no! windows! on! the! north! faade,! which! is! set! on! the! property! line! and!
faces!another!building.!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)16))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

Above:)Original)plans)for)the)windows.)Below)left:)Existing)condition)of)the)exterior)of)the)stairwell)windows.)Below)Right:)
Existing)condition)of)the)interior)of)the)stairwell)windows.)
)

!!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)17))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)18))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

Above:)Current)view)of)south)faade.)Below:)Original)appearance)[Stocks)Photo,)Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives].)

!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)19))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

Current)view)of)Second)Floor)Windows,)South)Faade.!

!
As!may!be!seen!in!comparison!to!the!original!plans!and!the!archival!images,!the!second!floor!windows!on!the!south!
faade! that! originally! faced! into! the! living! unit! on! the! second! floor! of! the! Fire! Hall! have! been! altered! from! their!
originally!horizontally?proportioned!sash.!Some!of!the!framing!elements,!including!the!vertical!mullions,!appear!to!
be! original.! The! replacement! windows! are! in! poor! condition,! and! the! wooden! sills! have! rotted! out! and! require!
replacement.!!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)20))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
2.6.3)FRONT)ENTRY)
!

Revelstoke)City)Hall,)1944)[City)of)Vancouver)Archives)586c2884].)

!
The! original! design! of! the! central! Front! Entry,! deeply! incised! into! the! mass! of! the! front! faade,! was! crucial! to!
anchoring!the!design!City!Hall!and!emphasizing!its!civic!presence.!It!provides!a!monumental!scale!to!the!building.!
The!glass!brick!used!to!lighten!the!inset!two?storey!high!back!wall!was!a!very!innovative!material!at!the!time.!It!
was!specified!as!11!!square,!3!7/8!thick,!400!Series!manufactured!by!Owens?Illinois.!
!
The!glass!blocks!remain!in!good!condition,!except!where!two!later!openings!have!been!added!at!the!second!floor!
level!for!operable!windows;!each!of!these!widows!replaces!four!glass!blocks.!
!
The!entry!surround!for!the!front!door!appears!to!be!the!original!wooden!sections.!The!locations!of!the!recesses!for!
the!original!hinges!are!visible!on!each!side.!There!is!no!evidence!of!earlier!paint!until!the!existing,!and!the!original!
finish!was!likely!stained!and!varnished.!
!
The! Front! Entry! has! been! altered! in! a! number! of! ways,! materially! affecting! its! contribution! to! the! original! clean!
lines!of!the!composition.!Window!and!door!replacements!occurred!in!1983,!and!the!front!stairs!were!coated!with!a!
sanded!polymer!finish!at!about!the!same!time.!The!four!wooden?sash!windows!that!face!into!the!entry!have!been!
replaced,! as! have! the! front! doors.! In! addition,! other! changes! have! impacted! the! architectural! and! heritage!
character!of!City!Hall,!including!changes!to!the!stair!surfaces!and!the!removal!of!the!City!Hall!sign!letters.!A!large!
cloth!awning!has!also!been!added!that!covers!a!large!section!of!the!original!entry.!
!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)21))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!

!!

Original)appearance)of)the)front)entry,)looking)from)outside)and)inside.)

!!

Left:)Replacement)sash)set)into)original)window)frame.)Right:)original)glass)blocks.)

!
2.6.4)HOSE)TOWER)LOUVERS)
An!essential!element!of!the!original!design!is!the!use!of!large!wooden!horizontal!louvers!in!the!hose!tower,!which!
emphasize!the!horizontality!of!the!composition!and!echo!the!use!of!corner!windows!below.!
!
The! RJC! Assessment! states:! The! hose! tower! is! in! good! condition,! except! for! signs! of! water! entry! at! the! roof! and!
louvers.!The!wood!louvers!are!in!adequate!to!poor!condition,!and!do!not!prevent!weather!from!entering!the!tower!
space!despite!installation!of!plywood!shutters!to!the!interior.!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)22))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!
2.6.5)ORIGINAL)COLOURS)
The!following!references!describe!the!original!exterior!painting!of!the!concrete!walls,!with!two!coats!of!Baptex!cold!
water!cement!paint.!The!concrete!walls!were!always!meant!to!be!painted,!rather!than!exposed!as!raw!concrete.!
!
Painting(Outside(of(New(City(Hall.!Quite&a&crowd&gathered&outside&the&new&municipal&building&Wednesday&
afternoon&to&note&the&effect&of&the&first&few&brush&applications&of&paint&to&the&outside&of&the&new&building.&The&
coating&makes&a&marked&improvement&the&appearance&of&the&structure,&which&will&be&further&enhanced&by&the&
second&coat&of&paint.&Architect&C.B.K.&Van&Norman&and&Contractor&Vistaunet,&both&of&Vancouver,&were&on&hand&
to&initiate&the&undertaking.&
Revelstoke&Review,!April!6,!1939.!
!
REVELSTOKE)CITY)HALL:)SPECIFICATIONS)
PAINTING:)
All!painting!shall!be!done!to!the!entire!approval!of!the!Architect.!
All!colours!shall!be!selected!and!approved!by!the!Architect.!
Exterior!of!Building!i.e.!all!concrete!work!shall!receive!2!coats!of!Baptex!cold!water!cement!paint.!!
All!fir!sash,!doors,!and!frames!shall!receive!one!coat!of!lead!and!oil!primer,!before!setting!on!place.!
Exterior:!All!exterior!wood!trim!shall!receive!two!additional!coats!of!lead!and!oil!paint.!Teak!wood!
doors!shall!be!varnished!only.!
!
The!original!colours!of!City!Hall!were!determined!through!onsite!sampling,!and!the!paint!samples!were!assessed!by!
microscopic!analysis!in!order!to!reveal!the!original!colour!scheme!of!the!structure.!The!concrete!was!painted!in!a!
very!light!ivory!colour,!typical!of!modernist!buildings!of!the!time.!Window!sash,!and!sash!and!door!mouldings,!we!
painted!in!a!rich!mahogany!colour,!which!provided!striking!visual!contrast.!This!colour!contrast!appears!black!and!
white! in! archival! photographs,! but! in! reality! was! much! more! subtle,! and! appropriate! to! the! architecture.! The!
original!colours!were!matched!as!follows:!
!
Concrete!Wall!Surfaces:!match!to!Benjamin!Moore!Historic!Colour!HC?27!Monterey!White;!flat!finish.!
Window!Sash,!and!Windows!and!Door!Trim:!match!to!Benjamin!Moore!Historical!Vancouver!VC?34!
Strathcona!Mahogany;!high!gloss!finish.!!
!
City! Hall! is! currently! painted! in! two! different! wall! colours,! which! does! not! enhance! the! architectural! design! or!
reflect! the! original! unity! of! colour.! Part! of! the! restoration! process! could! include! re?instatement! of! historically!
appropriate!paint!colours.!Please!refer!to!Section!4.4(Exterior(Colours.!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)23))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

3.)CONSERVATION)GUIDELINES)
!
!
!
3.1)STANDARDS)AND)GUIDELINES)
The!Parks&Canada&Standards&and&Guidelines&for&the&Conservation&of&Historic&Places&in&Canada!(2010)!is!the!source!
used! to! determine! the! approach! of! intervention! for! conservation! projects.! The! interventions! proposed! for! this!
project!may!include!aspects!of!preservation,!rehabilitation!and!restoration,!as!defined!below:!!
!
Preservation:!the!action!or!process!of!protecting,!maintaining,!and/or!stabilizing!the!existing!materials,!form,!
and!integrity!of!a!historic!place!or!of!an!individual!component,!while!protecting!its!heritage!value.!
!!
Restoration:!the!action!or!process!of!accurately!revealing,!recovering!or!representing!the!state!of!a!historic!
place!or!of!an!individual!component,!as!it!appeared!at!a!particular!period!in!its!history,!while!protecting!its!
heritage!value.!!
!!
Rehabilitation:!the!action!or!process!of!making!possible!a!continuing!or!compatible!contemporary!use!of!a!
historic!place!or!an!individual!component,!through!repair,!alterations,!and/or!additions,!while!protecting!its!
heritage!value.!!
!
All!interventions!to!a!heritage!site!should!meet!the!Standards!outlined!in!the!Standards&and&Guidelines,!which!are!
conservation!principles!of!best!practice.!The!following!General!Standards!should!be!followed!when!carrying!out!any!
work!to!an!historic!property.!!
!
STANDARDS)
)
1. Conserve!the!heritage!value!of!a!historic!place.!Do!not!remove,!replace,!or!substantially!alter!its!
intact!or!repairable!character?defining!elements.!Do!not!move!a!part!of!a!historic!place!if!its!
current!location!is!a!character?defining!element.!
2. Conserve!changes!to!a!historic!place,!which!over!time,!have!become!character?defining!elements!
in!their!own!right.!!
3. Conserve!heritage!value!by!adopting!an!approach!calling!for!minimal!intervention.!
4. Recognize!each!historic!place!as!a!physical!record!of!its!time,!place!and!use.!Do!not!create!a!false!
sense!of!historical!development!by!adding!elements!from!other!historic!places!or!other!properties!
or!by!combining!features!of!the!same!property!that!never!coexisted.!!
5. Find!a!use!for!a!historic!place!that!requires!minimal!or!no!change!to!its!character!defining!
elements.!!
6. Protect!and,!if!necessary,!stabilize!a!historic!place!until!any!subsequent!intervention!is!
undertaken.!Protect!and!preserve!archaeological!resources!in!place.!Where!there!is!potential!for!
disturbance!of!archaeological!resources,!take!mitigation!measures!to!limit!damage!and!loss!of!
information.!
7. Evaluate!the!existing!condition!of!character?defining!element!to!determine!the!appropriate!
intervention!needed.!Use!the!gentlest!means!possible!for!any!intervention.!Respect!heritage!
value!when!undertaking!an!intervention.!
8. Maintain!character?defining!elements!on!an!ongoing!basis.!Repair!character?defining!element!by!
reinforcing!the!materials!using!recognized!conservation!methods.!Replace!in!kind!any!extensively!
deteriorated!or!missing!parts!of!character?defining!elements,!where!there!are!surviving!
prototypes.!
9. Make!any!intervention!needed!to!preserve!character?defining!elements!physically!and!visually!
compatible!with!the!historic!place!and!identifiable!upon!close!inspection.!Document!any!
intervention!for!future!reference.!!
!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)24))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
Additional)Standards)relating)to)Rehabilitation)
10. Repair!rather!than!replace!character?defining!elements.!Where!character?defining!elements!are!
too!severely!deteriorated!to!repair,!and!where!sufficient!physical!evidence!exists,!replace!them!
with!new!elements!that!match!the!forms,!materials!and!detailing!of!sound!versions!of!the!same!
elements.!Where!there!is!insufficient!physical!evidence,!make!the!form,!material!and!detailing!of!
the!new!elements!compatible!with!the!character!of!the!historic!place.!
11. Conserve!the!heritage!value!and!character?defining!elements!when!creating!any!new!additions!to!
a!historic!place!and!any!related!new!construction.!Make!the!new!work!physically!and!visually!
compatible!with,!subordinate!to!and!distinguishable!from!the!historic!place.!
12. Create!any!new!additions!or!related!new!construction!so!that!the!essential!form!and!integrity!of!a!
historic!place!will!not!be!impaired!if!the!new!work!is!removed!in!the!future.!
!
Additional)Standards)relating)to)Restoration)
13. Repair!rather!than!replace!character?defining!elements!from!the!restoration!period.!Where!
character?defining!elements!are!too!severely!deteriorated!to!repair!and!where!sufficient!physical!
evidence!exists,!replace!them!with!new!elements!that!match!the!forms,!materials!and!detailing!of!
sound!versions!of!the!same!elements.!
14. Replace!missing!features!from!the!restoration!period!with!new!features!whose!forms,!materials!
and!detailing!are!based!on!sufficient!physical,!documentary!and/or!oral!evidence.!
!
!
3.2)CONSERVATION)REFERENCES)
In! additions! to! specific! materials! and! practice! references,! the! following! conservation! references! should! be!
considered!for!any!interventions!to!Revelstoke!City!Hall:!
!
Standards&and&Guidelines&for&the&Conservation&of&Historic&Places&in&Canada,!Parks!Canada,!2010.!
http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/standards?normes/document.aspx!
!
Preservation!Brief!9!!The!Repair!of!Historic!Wooden!Windows!
!
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief09.htm!
!
Preservation!Brief!15!!Preservation!of!Historic!Concrete!
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief15.htm!
!
!
3.3)HERITAGE)EQUIVALENCIES)AND)EXEMPTIONS)
The! definition! for! heritage! equivalencies! and! exemptions! is! now! consistent! throughout! provincial! enabling!
legislation!for!recognized!heritage!buildings,!including!sites!that!are!either!legally!protected!for!heritage!purposes!
or!those!listed!on!a!community!heritage!register.!
!
3.3.1)BRITISH)COLUMBIA)BUILDING)CODE)
Building!Code!upgrading!is!the!most!important!aspect!of!heritage!building!rehabilitation,!as!it!ensures!life!
safety!and!long?term!protection!for!the!resource.!It!is!essential!to!consider!heritage!buildings!on!a!case?by?case!
basis,!as!the!blanket!application!of!Code!requirements!does!not!recognize!the!individual!requirements!and!
inherent!performance!strengths!of!each!building.!Given!that!Code!compliance!is!such!a!significant!factor!in!the!
conservation!of!heritage!buildings,!the!most!important!consideration!is!to!provide!viable!economic!methods!of!
achieving!building!upgrades.!
!
This!is!recognized!in!the!BC!Building!Code,!in!which!a!number!of!equivalencies!have!been!developed!and!
adopted!that!enable!more!sensitive!and!appropriate!heritage!building!upgrades.!As!Revelstoke!City!Hall!is!
listed!on!the!Revelstoke!Heritage!Register,!heritage!equivalencies!available!under!the!BCBC!are!available!for!
this!project!as!required.!In!addition!to!these!equivalencies,!the!City!can!also!accept!the!report!of!a!Building!
Code!Engineer!as!to!acceptable!levels!of!code!performance.!!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)25))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
!
3.3.2)ENERGY)EFFICIENCY)ACT)
The!provincial!Energy!Efficiency!Act!(Energy!Efficiency!Standards!Regulation)!was!amended!in!2009!to!exempt!
buildings!protected!through!heritage!designation!or!listed!on!a!community!heritage!register!from!compliance!
with!the!regulations.!Energy!Efficiency!standards!therefore!do!not!apply!to!windows,!glazing!products,!door!
slabs!or!products!installed!in!heritage!buildings.!This!means!that!exemptions!can!be!allowed!to!energy!
upgrading!measures!that!would!destroy!heritage!character?defining!elements!such!as!original!windows!and!
doors.!
!
These!provisions!do!not!preclude!that!heritage!buildings!must!be!made!more!energy!efficient,!but!they!do!
allow!a!more!sensitive!approach!of!alternate!compliance!to!individual!situations!and!a!higher!degree!of!
retained!integrity.!Increased!energy!performance!can!be!provided!through!non?intrusive!methods!of!alternate!
compliance,!such!as!improved!insulation!and!mechanical!systems.!Please!refer!to!the!Standards&and&Guidelines&
for&the&Conservation&of&Historic&Places&in&Canada&for!further!detail!about!Energy!Efficiency!Considerations.!
!
It!is!also!noted!in!the!RJC!Assessment!that!the!current!walls!with!interior!batt!insulation!have!an!approximate!
R8!value,!and!that!is!2010!a!new!heating!plant!was!installed!and!connected!to!a!district!energy!system.!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)26))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

4.)CONSERVATION)RECOMMENDATIONS)
!
!
!
The! RJC! Assessment! notes:! There! are! no! specific! performance! problems! with! the! building! related! by! personnel!
interviewed.!The!office!spaces!were!described!as!comfortable!during!winter!and!summer!seasons.!The!waterproofing!
systems! on! walls! and! roof! and! foundations! are! reported! to! be! functioning! well! with! no! leaks! or! deterioration!
reported.!
!
Only!those!recommended!interventions!in!the!RJC!Assessment!that!would!impact!the!heritage!character!of!City!Hall!
have!been!assessed;!Recommendations(A!and!H!are!not!expected!to!impact!heritage!character!or!value.!
!
Please! note! that! the! existing! Statement! of! Significance! has! been! used! as! the! basis! of! the! heritage! evaluation! of!
character?defining!elements.!
!
!
4.1)EXTERIOR)WALL)SURFACES)
The!RJC!Assessment!states!that!the!later!polymer!modified!cement!stucco!coating!is!delaminating!and!should!be!
removed:!The!original!concrete!surfaces!can!be!painted!to!restore!their!original!appearance,!or!could!be!insulated!
with! EIFS! to! improve! energy! efficiency! of! the! building.! The! EIFS! option! while! desirable! from! an! engineering!
perspective,! both! to! improve! energy! efficiency! and! protect! the! concrete! from! weather! exposure,! is! unlikely!
acceptable! from! an! architectural! appearance! since! it! will! change! the! appearance! of! the! building! which! is!
considered!to!be!an!important!early!modernist!building!in!BC.!
!
RJC! Assessment:! The! existing! exterior! stucco! plaster! is! in! poor! condition! at! a! number! of! locations! around! the!
building!and!requires!replacement.!Removal!of!the!stucco!will!confirm!the!condition!of!the!original!surfaces.!The!
original! finish! on! the! building! appears! to! have! been! paint! on! concrete! surfaces,! and! consultation! with! Donald!
Luxton! and! Associates! (DLA)! will! confirm! appropriate! measures! for! authentic! treatment! of! the! exterior! walls.!
Application!of!at!least!a!new!paint!coating!is!recommended!to!reduce!absorption!of!concrete!surfaces!to!prevent!
frost! damage,! reduce! risk! of! steel! corrosion,! and! reduce! rates! of! carbonation! of! the! concrete.! Use! of! EIFS! as! an!
exterior!finish!is!also!technically!viable!and!would!provide!superior!insulation!for!the!building,!but!would!also!alter!
the!surface!planes!and!therefore!the!exterior!appearance!of!the!facades.!The!R!value!of!the!exterior!walls!would!
increase!to!R17!through!addition!of!2!of!exterior!insulation.!An!exterior!insulation!and!finish!system!(EIFS)!consists!
of!insulation!adhered!to!the!substrate!wall!with!polymer!modified!mortar!and!then!overcoated!with!a!thin!polymer!
modified! stucco! finish.! The! exterior! insulation! would! place! the! concrete! in! the! middle! of! the! insulated! wall!
assembly!where!it!would!be!subjected!to!far!fewer!extremes!of!temperature.!The!walls!could!be!re?plastered!with!
acrylic!modified!stucco,!as!was!already!done!in!the!1970s,!to!provide!surface!protection!if!a!paint!coating!would!not!
be!adequate.!
!
The! RJC! Assessment! concludes:! In! conclusion,! the! condition! of! the! Revelstoke! City! Hall! heritage! building! is!
considered!to!be!good!to!excellent,!particularly!given!its!age!and!continuous!occupation!for!75!years.!The!exterior!
walls!and!windows!appear!to!constitute!the!majority!of!the!exterior!heritage!elements,!and!their!upkeep!requires!
some!interventions!described!in!the!recommendations!above.!With!such!appropriate!repairs!and!maintenance!to!
the! concrete! surfaces! to! protect! them! from! deterioration,! and! continued! heating! to! prevent! critical! levels! of!
moisture! accumulation! and! freeze! thaw! deterioration,! the! expected! service! life! of! the! building! should! be!
considered! to! be! indefinite.! Several! options! for! treating! the! exterior! of! the! walls! have! been! presented.! Adding!
insulation!to!the!exterior!walls!(EIFS!cladding)!has!the!obvious!benefit!of!decreasing!heating!costs!and!protecting!
the! walls! from! frost! and! moisture! damage,! however! it! is! considered! to! degrade! the! exterior! appearance!
considerably.!Comfort!levels!inside!the!building!are!not!reported!to!be!problematic.!Alternate!exterior!treatments!
suggested! therefore,! which! are! less! energy! efficient! but! preserve! more! of! the! visual! heritage,! are! considered! to!
provide!adequate!protection!to!the!concrete!and!can!be!used!with!confidence!as!long!as!the!building!continues!to!
be!adequately!heated!during!winter!weather.!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)27))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
Recommendations(for(Remediation(
B:!Remove!loose!plaster!from!the!building!to!remove!overhead!hazard.!
C:!Check!the!condition!of!the!concrete!substrate!at!representative!locations!to!determine!if!the!
plaster!was!installed!to!remedy!surface!deterioration!ongoing!in!the!1970s.!
D:!Replace!the!exterior!finishes!with!new!paint,!stucco!plaster,!or!EIFS.!
!
Applicable(Conservation(Standards(
Standard)1:!Conserve!the!heritage!value!of!a!historic!place.!Do!not!remove,!replace,!or!substantially!
alter!its!intact!or!repairable!character?defining!elements.!Do!not!move!a!part!of!a!historic!place!if!its!
current!location!is!a!character?defining!element.!
Standard)3:)Conserve!heritage!value!by!adopting!an!approach!calling!for!minimal!intervention.!
Standard)4:)Recognize!each!historic!place!as!a!physical!record!of!its!time,!place!and!use.!Do!not!create!
a!false!sense!of!historical!development!by!adding!elements!from!other!historic!places!or!other!
properties!or!by!combining!features!of!the!same!property!that!never!coexisted.!
Standard)7:)Evaluate!the!existing!condition!of!character?defining!element!to!determine!the!
appropriate!intervention!needed.!Use!the!gentlest!means!possible!for!any!intervention.!Respect!
heritage!value!when!undertaking!an!intervention.!
Standard)10:)Repair!rather!than!replace!character?defining!elements.!Where!character?defining!
elements!are!too!severely!deteriorated!to!repair,!and!where!sufficient!physical!evidence!exists,!
replace!them!with!new!elements!that!match!the!forms,!materials!and!detailing!of!sound!versions!of!
the!same!elements.!Where!there!is!insufficient!physical!evidence,!make!the!form,!material!and!
detailing!of!the!new!elements!compatible!with!the!character!of!the!historic!place.)!
Standard)11:)Conserve!the!heritage!value!and!character?defining!elements!when!creating!any!new!
additions!to!a!historic!place!and!any!related!new!construction.!Make!the!new!work!physically!and!
visually!compatible!with,!subordinate!to!and!distinguishable!from!the!historic!place.!
!
CONSERVATION)ASSESSMENT
CHARACTERcDEFINING)ELEMENT
CHARACTERcDEFINING)ELEMENT)
LEVEL)OF)INTERVENTION)
Form,!scale!and!massing!

PROPOSED)INTERVENTION:)EXTERIOR)FINISH
)

Characteristics!of!the!International!Style,!including!
horizontal!emphasis!as!exemplified!by!grooves!in!the!
reinforced!concrete!wall!surface,!use!of!contemporary!
materials,!flat!roof,!rounded!corners,!horizontal!bands!
of!concrete,!emphasis!on!sharp?angled!shapes.!
Fire!department!hose?drying!tower.!

Corner!location.!
Prominence!on!the!skyline.!
Pattern!of!fenestration.!

Glass!blocks!surrounding!entry!door!on!east!elevation.!
Planters!flanking!main!entrance!and!large!window!on!
south!elevation.!
Mature!coniferous!trees!to!either!side!of!main!
entrance.!
Original!flag!holders!on!east!and!south!elevations.!
HERITAGE)IMPACT)

NEW)PAINT)
Restoration)
Restoration!of!original!
form,!scale!and!massing.!
Restoration!of!original!
detailing.!Conforms!to!
applicable!Standards.!

STUCCO)PLASTER)
Preservation)
Existing!form,!scale!and!
massing.!
Retains!current!situation!
of!compromised!
detailing.!

EIFS)
Rehabilitation)
Distortion!of!original!
form,!scale!and!massing.!
Contravenes!Standards!
1,!3,!4,!7,!10!and!11.!
Distortion!of!original!
relationship.!Greater!
impact!on!detailing.!
Contravenes!Standards!
1,!3,!4,!7,!10!and!11.!

Restoration!of!original!
detailing.!Conforms!to!
applicable!Standards.!
N/A!
N/A!
Restoration!of!original!
relationship.!!

Retains!current!situation!
of!compromised!
detailing.!
N/A!
N/A!
Existing!relationship.!

N/A!
N/A!

N/A!
N/A!

N/A!
N/A!
Distortion!of!original!
relationship.!Greater!
impact!on!detailing.!
N/A!
N/A!

N/A!

N/A!

N/A!

Restoration!of!original!
relationship!to!wall.!
Preferred)

Existing!relationship.!

Will!require!relocation.!

Acceptable)

Not)Acceptable)

!
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration((
The!application!of!an!EIFS!system!on!the!exterior!is!incompatible!with!heritage!character.!
As!the!later!stucco!is!removed,!the!original!concrete!should!be!repaired!and!painted.!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)28))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
4.2)WINDOW)AND)DOOR)ASSEMBLIES)
RJC! Assessment:! The! wood! windows! are! mostly! not! original! and! appear! to! have! been! replaced! at! various! times,!
most!recently!through!the!decades!of!1980s!and!1990s.!All!the!windows!currently!have!double!glazed!units!(IGU)!
installed!in!replaced!or!repaired!wood!frames.!No!whole!scale!replacement!is!recommended!at!this!time!since!the!
windows! appear! to! be! functional! if! weathered! in! appearance! on! some! elevations.! Budgeting! for! window!
replacement!should!be!planned!for!about!10!years!from!now.!DLA!can!provide!comment!on!appropriate!window!
configurations! for! when! they! are! replaced! since! the! frames! currently! installed! do! not! replicate! the! original!
appearance.!
!
Further!examination!indicates!that!there!are!substantial!amounts!of!original!window!sash!that!have!not!failed!and!
can!be!retained!or!repaired.!In!some!areas,!parts!of!original!framing!remain!and!could!be!rehabilitated.!Other!areas!
demonstrate!failure!and!should!be!replaced!in?kind.!There!are!no!original!exterior!doors!that!remain.!
!
Recommendations(for(Remediation(
E:!Prepare!a!window!replacement!strategy!in!keeping!with!deterioration!rates!of!existing!windows.!
!
Applicable(Conservation(Standards(
Standard)1:!Conserve!the!heritage!value!of!a!historic!place.!Do!not!remove,!replace,!or!substantially!
alter!its!intact!or!repairable!character?defining!elements.!Do!not!move!a!part!of!a!historic!place!if!its!
current!location!is!a!character?defining!element.!
Standard)3:)Conserve!heritage!value!by!adopting!an!approach!calling!for!minimal!intervention.!
Standard)7:)Evaluate!the!existing!condition!of!character?defining!element!to!determine!the!
appropriate!intervention!needed.!Use!the!gentlest!means!possible!for!any!intervention.!Respect!
heritage!value!when!undertaking!an!intervention.!
Standard)8:)Maintain!character?defining!elements!on!an!ongoing!basis.!Repair!character?defining!
element!by!reinforcing!the!materials!using!recognized!conservation!methods.!Replace!in!kind!any!
extensively!deteriorated!or!missing!parts!of!character?defining!elements,!where!there!are!surviving!
prototypes.!
Standard)10:)Repair!rather!than!replace!character?defining!elements.!Where!character?defining!
elements!are!too!severely!deteriorated!to!repair,!and!where!sufficient!physical!evidence!exists,!
replace!them!with!new!elements!that!match!the!forms,!materials!and!detailing!of!sound!versions!of!
the!same!elements.!Where!there!is!insufficient!physical!evidence,!make!the!form,!material!and!
detailing!of!the!new!elements!compatible!with!the!character!of!the!historic!place.)!
Standard)11:)Conserve!the!heritage!value!and!character?defining!elements!when!creating!any!new!
additions!to!a!historic!place!and!any!related!new!construction.!Make!the!new!work!physically!and!
visually!compatible!with,!subordinate!to!and!distinguishable!from!the!historic!place.!
!
!
CONSERVATION)ASSESSMENT
CHARACTERcDEFINING)ELEMENT
PROPOSED)INTERVENTION:)WINDOWS)AND)DOORS
CHARACTERcDEFINING)ELEMENT)
)
LEVEL)OF)INTERVENTION)
Form,!scale!and!massing!
Characteristics!of!the!International!Style,!including!
horizontal!emphasis!as!exemplified!by!grooves!in!the!
reinforced!concrete!wall!surface,!use!of!contemporary!
materials,!flat!roof,!rounded!corners,!horizontal!bands!
of!concrete,!emphasis!on!sharp?angled!shapes.!
Fire!department!hose?drying!tower.!
Corner!location.!
Prominence!on!the!skyline.!
Pattern!of!fenestration.!

Glass!blocks!surrounding!entry!door!on!east!elevation.!

WINDOW)REHABILITATION)
Restoration)/)Rehabilitation)
N/A!
Retention!of!existing!character?
defining!elements.!Restoration!of!
original!design!appearance.!Conforms!
to!applicable!Standards.!

WINDOW)REPLACEMENT)
Replacement)
N/A!
Contravenes!Standards!1,!3,!47,!10!and!
11.!Distortion!of!original!relationship.!
Greater!impact!on!detailing.!

N/A!
N/A!
N/A!
Restoration!of!original!detailing!and!
appearance.!Conforms!to!applicable!
Standards.!
N/A!

N/A!
N/A!
N/A!
Distortion!of!original!relationship.!
Greater!impact!on!detailing.!
N/A!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)29))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
Planters!flanking!main!entrance!and!large!window!on!
south!elevation.!
Mature!coniferous!trees!to!either!side!of!main!
entrance.!
Original!flag!holders!on!east!and!south!elevations.!
HERITAGE)IMPACT)

N/A!

N/A!

N/A!

N/A!

N/A!
Preferred)

N/A!
Not)Acceptable)

Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration(/(Rehabilitation((
A!full!program!of!window!replacement!is!not!recommended!
A!program!for!the!retention!of!repairable!window!elements!should!be!developed,!with!repair!/!
rehabilitation!of!existing!windows!and!replacement!in?kind!of!non?repairable!elements.!Final!window!
appearance!should!match!original.!
Restore!appearance!of!original!doors!when!possible.!!

)
4.3:)ROOF)ASSEMBLIES)
The! roofs! have! been! recently! replaced! with! insulated! assemblies,! except! for! the! hose! tower! roof.! It! is!
recommended!that!some!roof!accessories!be!provided!such!as!walking!paths,!protection!for!exposed!the!parapet!
between!roof!levels,!and!modifications!to!the!existing!sheet!metal!work.!The!hose!tower!roof!has!not!been!recently!
replaced!and!appears!to!be!a!candidate!for.!Further!waterproofing!of!the!tower!louver!openings,!and!repairing!or!
replacing!of!the!louvers!is!recommended!to!improve!weather!tightness!of!the!top!of!the!tower.!
!
Recommendations(for(Remediation(
F:!Repair!flashing!deficiencies,!protect!membrane!folds,!and!install!walk!paths!on!roof!membrane.!!
G:!Waterproof!tower!roof,!roof!hatch,!and!louvers.!
!
Conservation(Recommendation:(Rehabilitation((
Repair!strategies!for!flashings.!Ensure!that!when!flashings!are!replaced!they!are!an!appropriate!colour!
that!harmonizes!with!the!proposed!authentic!colour!scheme.!
Repair!rather!than!replace!historic!louvers.!Develop!appropriate!water!control!strategies!that!do!not!
affect!exterior!appearance.!

)
)
4.4)FRONT)ENTRY)
The! monumental! nature! of! the! Front! Entry! has! been! compromised! by! a! number! of! changes! over! time.! These!
changes!have!had!a!substantial!impact!on!the!appearance!of!the!most!public!face!of!the!building.!
!
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration((
Restore!elements!of!the!Front!Entry!that!are!essential!to!its!original!character.!Consider!removal!of!
the!cloth!awning,!restoration!of!windows!and!doors!and!re?installation!of!original!signage.!
!
)
4.5)EXTERIOR)COLOURS)
Part!of!the!restoration!process!could!be!to!finish!the!building!in!historically!appropriate!paint!colours.!As!this!is!a!
cost?neutral! recommendation,! it! is! strongly! recommended! that! the! original! colours! be! restored.! A! restoration!
colour!scheme!should!be!developed!prior!to!any!exterior!interventions.!!
!
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration((
Re?apply!the!original!historic!colour!scheme!for!exterior!painted!finishes.!

)
)
!
)

)
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)30))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)
4.6)MAINTENANCE)PLAN)
In! addition,! a! cyclical! Maintenance! Plan! should! be! developed! that! will! safeguard! the! heritage! character?defining!
elements!of!Revelstoke!City!Hall!on!a!long?term!basis.!
!
Conservation(Recommendation(
Develop!a!cyclical!Maintenance!Plan!to!conserve!character?defining!elements.!

!
4.7)CONSERVATION)RECOMMENDATIONS)
A! review! of! the! proposed! interventions! for! Revelstoke! City! Hall! indicate! that! much! of! the! remedial! work! can! be!
directed! towards! a! restoration! of! the! original! heritage! character! and! architectural! appearance! of! this! significant!
landmark!building.!Where!there!are!different!approaches!to!each!intervention,!a!choice!should!be!made!to!direct!
the!work!towards!restoration!of!this!character.!This!should!consist!primarily!of!the!preservation!of!the!character?
defining!elements!of!exterior!and!interior,!restoration!of!original!character?defining!elements!when!they!have!been!
altered,!and!rehabilitation!of!deteriorated!elements.!
!
SUMMARY)OF)CONSERVATION)RECOMMENDATIONS)
!
4.1)EXTERIOR)FINISH)
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration((
The!application!of!an!EIFS!system!on!the!exterior!is!incompatible!with!heritage!character.!
As!the!later!stucco!is!removed,!the!original!concrete!should!be!repaired!and!painted.!
!
4.2)WINDOW)AND)DOOR)ASSEMBLIES)
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration(/(Rehabilitation(
A!full!program!of!window!replacement!is!not!recommended!
A!program!for!the!retention!of!repairable!window!elements!should!be!developed,!with!repair!/!
rehabilitation!of!existing!windows!and!replacement!in?kind!of!non?repairable!elements.!Final!window!
appearance!should!match!original.!
Restore!appearance!of!original!doors!when!possible.!!
!
4.3)ROOF)ASSEMBLIES)
Conservation(Recommendation:(Rehabilitation(
Repair!strategies!for!flashings.!Ensure!that!when!flashings!are!replaced!they!are!an!appropriate!colour!
that!harmonizes!with!the!proposed!authentic!colour!scheme.!
Repair!rather!than!replace!historic!louvers.!Develop!appropriate!water!control!strategies!that!do!not!
affect!exterior!appearance.!

)
4.4)FRONT)ENTRY)
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration()
Restore!elements!of!the!Front!Entry!that!are!essential!to!its!original!character.!Consider!removal!of!
the!cloth!awning,!restoration!of!windows!and!doors!and!re?installation!of!original!signage.!
!
4.5)EXTERIOR)COLOURS)
Conservation(Recommendation:(Restoration((
Re?apply!the!original!historic!colour!scheme!for!exterior!painted!finishes.!
)
4.6)MAINTENANCE)PLAN)
Conservation(Recommendation((
Develop!a!cyclical!Maintenance!Plan!to!conserve!character?defining!elements.!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)31))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS)
)
)
)
The!Revelstoke!City!Hall!Building!Envelope!Heritage!Assessment!was!undertaken!for!the!City!of!Revelstoke!in!2012?
13!by!Donald!Luxton,!Principal,!Megan!Faulkner!and!R.J.!McCulloch!of!Donald!Luxton!&!Associates!Inc.!
!
Client!liaison!was!provided!by!John!Guenther,!Director!of!Planning,!City!of!Revelstoke.!!
!
We!would!like!to!thank!Leslie!Peer,!Principal,!Building!Science!and!Restoration,!Reid!Jones!Christoffersen!Ltd.!for!his!
collaborative!work!on!this!project.!
!
We! would! also! like! to! thank! Cathy! English,! Curator,! Revelstoke! Museum! &! Archives! and! the! staff! of! the! City! of!
Vancouver!Archives!for!their!assistance!with!the!research!for!this!project.!
!

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)32))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

APPENDIX)A:)RESEARCH)REFERENCES)
)
)
!
A.1)C.B.K.)VAN)NORMAN)
nd
Sources:!Donald!Luxton,!Building!the!West:!The!Early!Architects!of!British!Columbia.!Vancouver,!Talonbooks,!2 !
ed.,!2007;!Obituary,!Vancouver!Sun,!September!15,!1975,!p.22;!Obituary,!Vancouver!Province,!September!15,!1975,!
p.7;!biography!and!portrait!in!Who's!Who!in!British!Columbia,!1937?39,!p.151;!Who's!Who!in!Canada,!1949?50,!
p.239;!Membership!Files,!Architectural!Institute!of!British!Columbia;!City!of!Vancouver!Archives!C.B.K.!Van!Norman!
Fonds! Add.MSS.755;! Sean! Rossiter,! "House! That! Charlie! Built! Rests! on! Shaky! Ground,"! Vancouver! Sun,! Saturday!
Review,! April! 9,! 1994,! p.D7;! Powell! River! Co.! Store! from! the! Powell! River! Digester,! Mar./Apr.! 1947;! Robert! Hill,!
Biographical!Dictionary!of!Architects!in!Canada!1800?1950.![www.dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/]!
!
!
A.2)CITY)OF)VANCOUVER)ARCHIVES)
Revelstoke!City!Hall!Plans,!C.B.K.!Van!Norman!fonds!Add.MSS.755?435!!
Revelstoke!City!Hall,!1944:!CVA!586?2884.!
C.B.K.!Van!Norman,!circa!1946![City!of!Vancouver!Archives!Port!P1440].!
!
A.3)REVELSTOKE)MUSEUM)&)ARCHIVES)
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)Clippings)File)
Revelstoke&Review,!March!6,!1936:!Basement&at&the&City&Hall&Caved&In&Tuesday.!
Revelstoke&Review,!March!6,!1938,!page!1:!City&Hall&Building&Condemned.!
Revelstoke&Review,!June!3,!1938:!Council&May&Submit&By=Law&for&Civic&Building.!
Revelstoke&Review,!June!17,!1938:!Council&To&Submit&By=Law&New&City&Hall&&City&Council&Not&Satisfied&
With&Present&Costly&Rental&Arrangements&With&Departments&Not&Centralized.!
Revelstoke&Review,!July!8,!1938:!To&Be&or&Not&To&Be!(Editorial!about!Municipal!By?Law)!
Revelstoke&Review,!July!8,!1938:!Mayor&Asks&By=Law&Support&Of&Board&Of&Trade&&Building&Stressed&by&
Mayor&Hardman&at&Board&of&Trade&Meeting&Last&Night.&
Revelstoke&Review,!July!15,!1938:!City&Hall=Fire&Hall&By=Law&Voting&Tomorrow&&City&Council&Would&
Start&Work&on&New&Building&at&Once&Under&Supervision&of&Outside&Architect.!
Revelstoke!Review,!July!22,!1938:!City&Building&By=Law&Carries&by&Big&Majority&&Largest&Recorded&Vote&
in&Recent&Money&By=Laws&Assures&City&of&Modern&Fire&Hall&and&City&Hall.!
Revelstoke&Review,!July!22,!1938:!Coast&Firm&Seeks&Architect&Work&on&New&City&Building.!
Revelstoke&Review,!July!29,!1938:!Architect&and&Supervisor&of&City&Building&is&Named&&C.B.K.&Van&
Norman,&of&Vancouver,&Gets&Appointment&at&Special&Meeting&of&City&Council&Yesterday.!
Revelstoke&Review,!August!19,!1938:!Tentative&Plans&of&Municipal&Bldg.&Seen&By&Council&&Final&Plans&
and&Specifications&Ready&in&About&Two&Weeks,&States&Architect.!
Revelstoke&Review,!October!7,!1938:!Work&Started&on&New&City&Hall&&Levels&Taken&and&Excavation&
Work&Proceeding.!
Revelstoke&Review,!November!18,!1938:!City&Hall&Work&Progressing&Well.!
Revelstoke&Review,!January!20,!1939:!Zeal&and&Earnestness&Lacking&in&our&Democratic&System.!!
Revelstoke&Review,!March!24,!1939:!City&Hall&to&Open&for&Inspection&Next&Week.!
Revelstoke&Review,!March!24,!1939,!page!20:!Will&Cut&A&Cake&&Revelstoke&Observes&Birthday&With&
Completion&Of&City&Hall&&City&Just&Forty&Years&Old&Recalls&Its&Incorporation,&First&Municipal&Election.!
Revelstoke&Review,!April!6,!1939:!Painting&Outside&of&New&City&Hall.!!
Revelstoke&Review,!April!14,!1939:!Fire&Alarm&System&Cut&In&To&New&Hall&&Work&of&Transferring&Lines&
and&Equipment&from&Temporary&Building&To&Be&Finished&This&Evening&&Switch&Over&in&Less&Than&Two&
Seconds.!
!
!
DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)33))

REVELSTOKE))CITY))HALL:))BUILDING))ENVELOPE))HERITAGE))ASSESSMENT)

Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc5:!City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!Contracts!with!C.B.K.!
Van!Norman.!
Letter!from!Van!Norman!to!City!Clerk,!July!28,!1938,!Fee!of!6%!of!cost!of!building,!plus!traveling!
expenses.!Total!cost!of!building!not!to!exceed!$38,000.!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc6:)City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!Tenders.!
Tender!for!Municipal!Building,!Montcrieff!&!Vistaunet,!$32,668.00!(lowest!tender).!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc7:!City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!Contracts!Montcrieff!&!
Vistaunet.!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc8:)City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!Accounts.!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc9:!City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!General!
Correspondence.!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc10:!City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!Catlin!Building!
Adjoining.!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives)91.1.2)Sc3)Fc11:)City!Hall!Construction!1938?1939:!!
Municipal!Building!Loan!By?Law.!(By?Law!No.!436,!adopted!July!20,!1938).!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives:)Archival!Photographs!!
Revelstoke)Museum)&)Archives:)Community!History&

DONALD)LUXTON)&)ASSOCIATES)INC.)FEBRUARY)2013)

)34))

You might also like