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Aberdeen PavilionThe Aberdeen Pavilion, to locals more often known as the Cattle Castle, is a large exhibition hall in Ottawa, Canada. Overlooking the Rideau Canal it is part of the Lansdowne Park complex of structures. The building was built in 1898 as was designed by Moses C. Edey and was inspired by London's Crystal Palace. It was built to serve as the central hall for the Central Canada Exhibition and was named after Governor General Lord Aberdeen who presided over its opening. The structure was built by the Dominion Bridge Company and took only two months and $75,000 to complete. The structure consists of a series of large steel arches holding up the roof. This allows for a large and column free interior space of some 36,000 square feet. It is the last surviving Canadian example of what was once a common form of exhibition halls. The main purpose of the structure was for agricultural shows, and from this came its nickname. It was used for many other purposes including a hockey area and was the site of the 1904 Stanley Cup victory of the Ottawa Silver Seven. In wartime the building became an important military structure. It was the home of Lord Strathcona's Horse before they departed for the Boer War. In the First World War it was the mustering point for the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the Second World War it served as a general recruiting centre and the home to the Cameron Highlanders and the Princess Louise Dragoon Guards. In 1982 the building was declared a heritage structure, but it was showing its age and required significant restoration work that would have cost several millions of dollars. The city council agreed to this, as long as the federal and provincial governments agreed to contribute a significant portion of the funds. The higher levels of government refused to make significant contributions and in 1991 city council voted to demolish the building rather than pay the full cost of repairing it. This became a major local issue and was central in the 1991 Ottawa election. In 1992 the new council approved a basic renovation plan that cost $5.3 million. The newly restored structure opened in 1994. External links
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