Ottawa Daily Foto

Fire Station No. 11

In one of my favourite corners of the city, Parkdale, you will find this bright and cheerful building: Fire Station No. 11. Designated as a Heritage Site by the province of Ontario, it is actually only one of three pre-1930s fire stations that reflect the important transition when the local fire fighting capabilities evolved into a professional fire fighting force. It was built in 1923 and was used as a bona fide fire station up until 1986. For the past 24 years, and since refurbishment, the building has been used for artist studios, galleries, medical and professional offices. More importantly, 'The Station' is actually part of QUAD – one of the few artist districts in the city – and is a pure reflection of the bold & quirky horizons that lie ahead.