Postal Station B
59 Sparks Street
Written by Bytown Museum
on
03/Dec/2009
Designed by architect Werner Ernest Noffke, Postal Station B was opened in 1939 as a postal substation; the main post office was located on Cumberland Street in the Byward Market.
The Noffke building replaced an earlier post office that was located just east of the current building. The design and construction of the new post office was part of a massive redevelopment plan of downtown Ottawa between Elgin, Laurier and Wellington streets and the Rideau Canal. The redevelopment was instigated by Prime Minister Mackenzie King during the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation celebrations in 1927.
The carved lions that guard all three doorways of the building were created by local artist William MacCarthy. Postal Station B remains the oldest federal building devoted to local use in Ottawa.
Did you know that in an average year Canada Post processes over 11 billion parcels and messages?
