Historic Work Point Officer’s Mess Demolished

Security and defence of our Pacific North-West was always a challenge and always uppermost in the minds of the first colonists here ..so far distant from Ottawa. In 1887, C Battery, Regiment of Canadian Artillery, traveled west on the first troop train to cross Canada on the newly completed railway. Their task were to help build Canada.s first military barracks and help man all the seaward defences protecting the British naval installations on the West Coast.

The original ten buildings at Work Point Barracks were occupied in late 1890. This marked one of Canada.s few contributions to coast defence prior to 1893. Designed by the Canadian Department of Public Works and considered an analog of traditional 19th century British barracks. It illustrated a theme in Canadian defence history relating to the coastal defences of British Columbia. This theme assumed added significance as it constituted a chapter in the Imperial defence of British North America in the 19th century.

The dominant heritage building remaining at Work Point was the Officer.s Mess and Quarters (Building 1027) on the last remaining open waterfront at the entrance to Victoria Harbour. It was in sound condition but no longer needed by the Naval Officers..Training Centre now at Work Point. It was declared surplus by DND.

A submission to have the Historic Sites and Monuments Board assess and declare Building 1027 a national historic site was declined by three succeeding Ministers of National Defence. A plan by an energetic group from the Victoria Regional Arts community to lease and convert the Officers..Mess into a Regional Arts Centre and museum apparently fell short in the view of DND.

Alas, the Work Point Officers.. Mess and Quarters (Building 1027) is no more. During the month of September 2006, this dominant heritage building gained the dubious distinction of becoming this year.s Number One Heritage Loss in Greater Victoria. It was demolished.

A DND contract was awarded to RALMAX Developments Ltd. to deconstruct..the building. The center part of the Mess was stripped and demolished in two weeks. There was talk that the east section might be detached and transported to the San Juan Islands (not confirmed). By the last week of September the site had been cleared, the concrete crushed and used to fill in the basements, leaving a barren site for the next episode.

A passing thought: what happened to the two ghosts that used to appear in the garret windows on a bright moonlit night? –By LCol (Ret) J.C. Berezowski (a Mess resident 1951-55.)

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