Then and Now... Parliament Buildings

Then...

The original "Parliament" Buildings, were designed by H.O. Tiedemann and whimsically called the birdcages because of their bell-cast roofs, half-timbering and ornate balconies. Construction was started in 1858 and completed in 1860.

The bridge across the mud flats connecting the new Parliament Buildings to Victoria's centre of commercial activity was completed in 1859.

Note: Today, a provincial parliament is called the Legislature or Legislative Building.

...Now

Emily Carr's book, "The Book of Small," provides a very descriptive recording of changes taking place in turn-of-century Victoria. (pp 239-240).

"The C.P.R. watched the West grow. She saw Victoria's squatty little old red brick Parliament Buildings give place to magnificent stone structures - domes, copper roofs - everything befitting a Capital City. Facing the Parliament Buildings across James Bay arose a sedate stone and cement Post Office. Little old knock-kneed wooden James Bay bridge still straddled the mud flats between the two. The C.P.R. pillowed their heads upon the mud flats and dreamed a dream. First they tore down the old wooden bridge and built in its place a wide concrete causeway, damming the Bay waters back from the flats. The sea was furious and dashed, but the concrete wall hurled it back. Smells got frantic and stank to high Heaven until engineers came and drained the seepage slough."

Emily Carr is describing the 1901 building of the present causeway. The seepage slough she refers to was filled in to become the 1908 site for the Empress Hotel.

The Birdcages were replaced in 1898 by the current Parliament buildings, designed and built by Rattenbury.