8 Images of Lansdowne Park, Past and Present

Aberdeen Pavilion has had many uses since its construction. I attempted to choose images that would best showcase this variety as well as the changing landscape around the Pavilion. The sliders track the site through its history as fair grounds and exhibition space, to a military base during the First and Second World War, to the shopping and sports complex of the newly redeveloped park. Despite the changes, the Aberdeen Pavilion remains the center of the complex, and will hopefully be put to good use in the new Lansdowne Park. Note: The sliders work best on Firefox and Safari.

Building Interior The interior of the building during construction, and modern day. The balustrade around the wall no longer exists. William James Topley/Library and Archives Canada/PA-027132

Restoration By the early 1990s, the building had fallen into disrepair, but a grant from the city restored the building to its original state. (Deachman, Bruce. "Elephants, Pandas, and Pigs, oh my! An Illustrated History of Lansdowne Park." Ottawa Citizen July 31, 2014) Lars Ploughmann. "Aberdeen Pavilion 1991" Originally posted to Flickr as 00097_n_7ab88k78v003. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_Pavilion#mediaviewer/File:Aberdeen_Pavilion_1991.jpg

Princess Patricia Way During WWI, the site was used as a staging ground for soldiers heading to England. Now in the same street is the stadium that can be seen at the right, and out of view are the new shops of the plaza. The plaza, now named Princess Patricia Way, is named for the soldiers who were stationed there. Canada. Dept. of Mines & Technical Surveys / Library and Archives Canada / PA-034032

Exhibition Space A shot of the building in use and at rest. The pavilion has been true to its original purpose; there has been a long stream of various exhibits that have used Aberdeen Pavilion to display their wares. Many were annual exhibits, while others were one-time events. Now with the development of the area, the city is searching what to use the building for next. (City of Ottawa. "Lansdowne."http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/planning-and-development/transforming-ottawa/lansdowne) Canada. Dept. of the Interior / Library and Archives Canada / PA-045664

The Pavilion's Skeleton A view of the building’s frame during construction, compared to the finished product 115 years later. Photograph attributed to James Ballantyne/Library and Archives Canada/PA-132244

Fairs A shot of the exhibition grounds during a fair. The perspective is a little skewed because the stadium blocks the vantage point of the older photo. The image is similar to the crowds who fill the grounds for modern fairs or football games at the newly revived stadium. William James Topley/Library and Archives Canada/PA-009125

The Ex The SuperEX was an annual event at Lansdowne run by the Central Canada Exhibition from the 1880s until 2010 when development plans ejected the fair from the park. (Corbett, Ron. "SuperEx's long ride in jeopardy." Toronto Sun August 6, 2011) Skinner, James R. "Aberdeen Pavilion During SuperEx." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_SuperEX#mediaviewer/File:AberdeenPavilionDuringSuperEx.jpg

Soldier's Tents Following the example of the First World War, Lansdowne Park was also used as a base for soldiers during WWII. The same spot has changed from empty concrete to the newly installed paths, benches and lawns of the new Lansdowne. Library and Archives Canada