'Iconic' smokestack a heritage landmark, city says

A brick smokestack that's towered over Ottawa's Little Italy for decades deserves heritage status, according to a city report dealing with a plan to redevelop an aging federal government complex on Booth Street.

Canada Lands Companywants to redevelop the 2.6-hectare property that was once home to the government's mining research labs. The planincludes 10 new structures up to 24 storeys in height, plus a park.

• Former Natural Resources HQ on Booth Street would get towers, park

In areport to the city's built heritage subcommittee, staff recommend preserving several buildings, some dating back to 1909 and many nowvacant, as well as thesmokestack at the complex's central heating plant a feature residents consider iconicand a neighbourhood landmark.

Part of war effort

The Department of Mines, the predecessor to Natural Resources Canada, built many of the structures in the first half of the 20th century under the direction of Ottawa architect W.E. Noffke.

One clutch of buildings,named A throughE in the image below,were built to examine and test metals as part of the Second World War effort.

Other buildings housed laboratories where research on minerals such as clay and gypsum was performed.

Both the rezoning application for the redevelopmentand the reportto designate some buildings under the Ontario Heritage Actareexpected togo beforethe city'splanning committee on Feb. 28.