Quebec City Armoury
Drill Hall / armoury in Quebec City, Quebec From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury, formerly Grande-Allée Armoury (French: Manège militaire Grande-Allée, or simply Manège militaire), was built as a Gothic Revival drill hall for the infantry regiment Les Voltigeurs de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Designed by architect Eugène-Étienne Taché and constructed between 1885 and 1888,[3] it is a National Historic Site.
| Grande Allée Drill Hall, Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury | |
|---|---|
 The Armoury in 2024 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Drill Hall / armoury |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival Chateau-style |
| Address | 805, avenue Wilfrid-Laurier Quebec City, Quebec G1R 2L3 |
| Construction started | 1885 |
| Completed | 1888 |
| Renovated | 2018 (rebuilt) |
| Destroyed | 2008 (fire) |
| Owner | Canadian Forces |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Eugène-Étienne Taché |
| Awards and prizes | National Historic Site; national Register of Historic Places;[1] Classified - 1987 Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings [2] |
Partially destroyed by fire in 2008, the armoury was then rebuilt and reopened in May 2018.[4]
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The Armoury before the fire (September 2007)
After the fire (July 2008)
In the Canadian Forces, an armoury is a place where a reserve unit trains, meets, and parades.
Fire
The Voltigeurs de Québec Armoury was severely damaged by a fire on April 4, 2008. All but a rear wall and turrets beside the front door were burned.[5] Les Voltigeurs de Québec Museum in the amoury which housed various artifacts from the regiment was also lost in the fire. However, officials estimate that 90 percent of the artifacts were saved due to the efforts of members of the regiment and local firefighters.[6] The armoury was to have been one of the venues for the celebration of Quebec's 400th birthday.[7] The armoury's wooden roof was one of the largest of its kind in Canada.[8]
Calls were made by politicians to rebuild the armoury,[9] to which the federal government responded in April 2008 positively by allocating $2 million for reconstruction planning.[10] In the fall of 2008, the regimental association launched a lawsuit against the Department of National Defence, blaming negligence on the part of the federal government for the blaze.[11] In 2010, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Josée Verner announced federal plans to rebuild the armoury by 2016.[12]
Work was completed by the spring of 2018, and reopened, for use by the public, military, and other government offices.[citation needed]
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"JE ME SOUVIENS" (1989) by André Gauthier, a 6’ X 9’ bronze 'haut-relief' bronze and granite wall memorial, was erected at Place George V in front of the armoury. Unveiled on November 11, 1989, the sculpture honours the memory of the soldiers from the Royal 22e Régiment (R 22e R) or Van Doos French Canadian regiment who were killed during the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. The sculpture was inspired by A.T.C. Bastiens' painting "L'Avance" at the Canadian War Museum. The names of soldiers are inscribed in granite on the monument.[13]
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A Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque was erected in 1991 to commemorate the Grande Allée Drill Hall and its architectural uniqueness.[14]
The Grande Allée Drill Hall is an impressive example of a drill hall that retains its original parade square. Designed by Eugène-Étienne Taché, a Quebec public servant and architect, the stone building was completed in 1887, with an addition in 1913. The steeply pitched gable roof, conical towers and fanciful decorative details of the drill hall make it an early example of the French-inspired Château style. The use of the style here is unique among Canadian drill halls of this period and reflects the late 19th century interest in the historic French roots of the city.[14]
The Band of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police playing in Quebec City
Sculpture at The Quebec City Armoury
Monument at The Quebec City Armoury
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