Heritage Ottawa joins all Canadians in mourning the loss of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, the army reservist who stood guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the morning of October 22, 2014. As we share our shock and grief at the terrible violence that took place in our nation's capital, careful consideration should be given as to how we will memorialize these events. Heritage Ottawa hopes that Canadians will be given an opportunity to express their views regarding how to bear witness to this unfortunate layer of history.
OTTAWA CITIZEN, by Kathryn May
Bullet damage scarring the halls of Parliament’s Centre Block after the gunfight that took place there is now being “catalogued” by experts preparing to decide what should be repaired and what should be left alone.
Heritage experts at Public Works and Government Services, the Crown’s real estate and asset manager, are working closely with House of Commons curator Johanna Mizgala assessing the damage “to determine the most appropriate approach to repair and conservation,” said Heather Bradley, a spokeswoman for the House of Commons Speaker’s Office.
Bradley said any damage experts feel compromises the integrity of an object or an area, such that it could be susceptible to further deterioration, will have to be repaired.
MPs have expressed mixed feelings on what should be done with the damage left by the hail of bullets exchanged during the shooting. Some argue the damage is a painful reminder of the incident and should be repaired, while others feel portions of the damage should be preserved as part of the country’s history.
Signs of the shooting mark the halls, walls and doors of the Hall of Honour. Damage included a broken window; a bullet hole in the wooden door of a large caucus room; one in the door frame to the venerable Library of Parliament and another lodged at the base of the large main desk within the library. The stone walls of the hall were nicked and chipped, and there was damage to the nurses’ memorial, a stone mural outside the library.
In an email, Public Works officials said the decision on what to repair or conserve will be based on the type of material damaged, where it is, and the “significance of the event in relation to our democratic history.”
Public Works, which is responsible for any structural issues with buildings inside the parliamentary precinct, has already made some repairs for safety and security. Departmental officials said some minor fixes were done immediately, such as securing doors and covering windows with plywood and Plexiglas.
A work plan and cost estimate of repairs and any restoration has yet to be completed.
Photo: Bullet hole visible in the wood frame at an entrance to the Library of Parliament.