Centre Block project photo gallery
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Condition before the project
View photos to see examples of some of the concerns and spaces being addressed as part of the Centre Block project.
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Some stone carvings were damaged by water leaks.
Water infiltrated through many sections of the roof and windows of the Centre Block over the past century. Water damage cracked and discoloured parts of the ceiling of the House of Commons Chamber North Gallery. We are repairing this and other heritage features as part of the Centre Block project.
The concrete that supports the historic Centre Block building was deteriorating and needed to be reinforced. This column in the basement of the Peace Tower that provided structural support has weakened from erosion.
One of the problems that affected the Centre Block was that water infiltrated through the masonry walls. Efflorescence is a fine, white, powdery deposit of water-soluble salts left on the surface of masonry as water evaporates. The white pictured in this photo means that water was coming in through the wall in the attic where the photo was taken.
Steel on the exterior and interior of the building was rusting and breaking down. In this photo, you can see the corrosion of structural steel in a masonry wall.
Centre Block’s iconic copper roof needed to be replaced. This photo shows damage to the roof. This damage can cause water to leak into the building. As part of the restoration, we are replacing the copper roof.
When the Centre Block was built, it was common to heat offices with wood-burning fireplaces.
The ventilation system was at the end of its useful life and needed to be replaced.
The water and heating pipes in the building were original from the early 1900s. They needed to be replaced. These water and heating pipes in the basement of Centre Block leaked and were patched many times. Rust on the old pipes caused the leaks and made them difficult to repair.
Salt, water and the continual freeze-thaw cycle damaged the sculptures on the exterior of Centre Block. This is outside the entry of the Peace Tower. Over time, if left unchecked, the sculptures and the stone around them would disappear. As part of the Centre Block project, we are restoring damaged sculptures so they will last for future generations.
Our masons did the best they could to repair cracks in the Centre Block stonework, but many features, such as these cracked stones in the Memorial Chamber, needed to be removed and replaced.
The mortar between Centre Block’s stones was crumbling. In some places, stones could be removed by hand. Water infiltration eroded the mortar. As part of our project, we are removing the stones and repointing them with fresh mortar.
Work being done
View photos of the work we are doing to restore and preserve Parliament Hill's majestic Centre Block building.
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Fine art conservators carefully remove the murals in the former Reading Room. Mural artist Arthur Crisp painted the 17 panels in the early 1920s.
A masonry conservator assesses the condition of stone friezes carved in the House of Commons foyer.
Conservators trace, photograph and assess stained-glass windows removed from the House of Commons Chamber. The stained glass is being packed and will be cleaned and repaired as part of the Centre Block project.
A conservator removes and assesses wallpaper in one of the rooms of the Centre Block.
The construction site outside the Centre Block, as seen from the East Block, in November 2020.
A conservator removes stained glass from the House of Commons Chamber.
Workers remove decorative marble slabs from the wall of a room in the Centre Block. They are wearing equipment to protect them from any hazardous materials that may be located behind the walls.
A heritage woodwork specialist consults plans and prepares to remove an oak wood coffered ceiling in the Centre Block.
The Centre Block's built-in brass mailboxes are removed and will be repurposed as part of the project.
A digital imaging specialist does a 3D scan of a stone carving removed from the Senate porch entrance. The dots on the carving serve as reference points when a digital 3D model of the stone is being created.
The ceiling of the House of Commons Chamber is decorated with painted linen. A conservator carefully removes the fabric and rolls it up to protect it.
The Centre Block has much ornate plasterwork. Workers clean each unique section of plaster to reveal its original beauty. They then make silicone moulds of each of those unique sections. If a section of plaster needs to be removed so the structural elements of the building can be accessed, it can later be reproduced. Here, a plaster specialist makes a silicone mould of plaster friezes in the Senate suite in September 2020.
We are removing anything that can be removed from the Centre Block. We are protecting in place heritage elements that cannot be removed. Here, workers are removing the Baker Memorial from the House of Commons foyer. This statue commemorates the life, dedication and sacrifice of Lieutenant-Colonel George Harold Baker, a sitting member of Parliament killed in action during the Great War.
Masons remove heritage stones from the arch on the Senate porch.
We are expanding the underground Parliament Welcome Centre to provide a more welcoming experience for visitors. In this photo from August 2020, there is a controlled blast in the area near the West Block in support of excavation activities.
In February 2020, workers prepare stones from the retaining wall, known as the Vaux Wall, for storage.
Workers assess the condition of the ceiling of the Senate Chamber in February 2020.
In February 2020, a worker takes photos of the Hall of Honour. This process is called photogrammetry. The photos were used to create a digital 3D model of the space. It is just one of the methods we used to document the state of the building.
Surveying the exterior of the Centre Block in February 2020.
A plaster specialist holds up a silicone mould of a decorative plaster element.
We used laser scanners like this one to collect extremely detailed information about the structures inside and outside the Centre Block. In this photo taken in January 2020, a worker scans the Memorial Chamber.
The heritage elements that we removed from the Centre Block were crated and labelled for storage. In this photo from January 2020, workers scan and pack heritage elements for storage.
We protected in place the heritage elements that could not be safely removed. Here, workers install plywood to protect the First World War altar in the Memorial Chamber.
Archaeologists studied the history of the site, identified high archaeological potential zones and proceeded with investigations and excavations that unearthed thousands of artifacts. In this photo from October 2019, an archaeologist sifts through dirt to look for artifacts.
Conservators move and store 1 of 8 historic First World War paintings from the walls of the Senate Chamber. The paintings are more than 3 metres wide and 2 metres high, so they needed to be moved and stored with great care. This work was done in May and June 2019.