The Seaforth Armoury is a
Canadian Forces
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The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
armoury
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are most ...
located at 1650
Burrard Street
Burrard Street is a major thoroughfare in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the central street of Downtown Vancouver and the Financial District. The street is named for Burrard Inlet, located at its northern terminus, which in turn is ...
in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. It is the home of
, a
Primary Reserve
The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...
Infantry unit. The building was designed by the architectural firm of McCarter and Nairne, and is now listed as a Class A Heritage Building.
History
From their creation in 1910 until 1935 The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada paraded at the
Beatty Street Drill Hall
The Beatty Street Drill Hall is a Canadian Forces armoury located at 620 Beatty Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is the home of The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), an armoured reconnaissance reserve regiment, the olde ...
with the
Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles. The government was petitioned for a separate armoury to house the regiment and in the early 1930s a site was selected. The site selected was a plot of unused land at the south end of the recently completed
Burrard Street Bridge
The Burrard Street Bridge (sometimes referred to as the Burrard Bridge) is a four-lane, Art Deco style, steel truss bridge constructed in 1930–1932 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The high, five part bridge on four piers spans Fal ...
. The address was fixed at 1650 on what had been called Cedar Street but upon completion of the bridge Cedar Street became Burrard Street.
Work began in 1935 and construction was finished in 1936. The Armoury was opened on 26 August 1936. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada formed up in a hollow square and the Governor General,
Lord Tweedsmuir
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation.
After a brief legal career ...
, took the Royal Salute as the first parade was held on the Square.
In June, 2012 the Armoury began a 3-year $9.3 million seismic upgrade to upgrading the existing structure and renovation. A further $31.2 million was allocated to Carillion Pacific Construction for the construction of a new five-storey building which will be used for support organizations, as well as the headquarters for the 39 Canadian Brigade Group.
The Jericho Armoury will being relocated to the Seaforth location, then divested.
The Renovation was completed in May 2016. On Saturday September 24, 2016, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada marched back to the Seaforth Armoury after an absence of four years.
The new building becomes the new Vancouver Garrison and was officially named the Major General Bertram Hoffmeister Building after one of Canada’s best Generals, who had served for many years as a Seaforth.
Occupants
In the Canadian Forces, an armoury is a place where a reserve unit trains, meets, and parades.
As well as being the home of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, the Seaforth Armoury is home to
The Seaforth Museum, an official Canadian Forces Museum.
In addition the armoury also garrisons 2 Cadet units:
"Cadets.ca List of Vancouver Cadet Corps"
/ref>
*72 () Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps
*135 (Bell-Irving) Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron
See also
* List of Armouries in Canada
A number of armouries and drill halls exist in communities across Canada. Of these, the majority were built in Ontario and Quebec.
Architecture
Chief Dominion Architects
The Chief Dominion Architect(s) designed a number of prominent public b ...
* List of heritage buildings in Vancouver
The following is a list of buildings and structures classified as Schedule "A" and Schedule "B" heritage buildings by the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. These are ''designated'' heritage buildings, and as such are legally protected ...
* Seaforth Peace Park
References
External links
The Seaforth Museum
{{Canadian Forces
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Armouries in Canada
Buildings and structures in Vancouver
Canadian Forces bases in British Columbia
Heritage sites in British Columbia
Heritage buildings in Vancouver