Official residences in Ottawa have long history

OTTAWA – Justin Trudeau says he won’t move into the prime minister’s residence at 24 Sussex, at least for a while. He and his family will live in Rideau Cottage on the grounds of the Governor General’s residence. Here’s a look at some of Ottawa’s official residences:

Rideau Cottage

— A two-storey brick home in a wooded area at the rear of Rideau Hall, it was built in 1866-67.

— It has been the residence of the secretary to the governor general; the latest resident, Stephen Wallace, moved out on the weekend to clear the way for the Trudeau family.

— Originally a one-storey structure, the house has expanded over the years, gaining a second storey and a kitchen addition.

Rideau Hall

— Originally built as an 11-room family home in 1838, the building was purchased first as a summer home and then as the principal residence for the governor general.

— It has been dramatically expanded over the years; the main building now has about 175 rooms, covering about 8,825 square metres.

— The grounds cover 32 hectares of lawns, flower beds, woods, greenhouses, gardens and service areas.

— The property includes room for a winter skating rink and a summer cricket pitch.

24 Sussex

— Built in 1868 by Joseph Currier, a wealthy businessman and politician.

— The limestone home, which was originally called Gorffwysfa, or “place of peace” in Welsh, sits on a 1.6-hectare site high above the Ottawa River.

— It remained in private hands until 1946, when it was expropriated by a federal government determined to keep the surrounding stretch of river bank free from commercial use.

— In 1950, it was refurbished and designated as a residence for the prime minister. Louis St. Laurent was the first PM to live there.

— The house is little changed since 1950, except for the addition of a windowed sunroom at the rear modernization of the kitchen, and the addition of an enclosed pool and sauna.

— In 2008, the auditor general looked at the building and reported cracked windows and caulking, window air conditioners which were then nearing the end of their useful lives, a 50-year-old electrical system operating at near capacity, deficient plumbing, no universal disabled access, a service elevator which cannot accommodate wheelchairs, and a kitchen and basement laundry described as “not functional.’

— The report said $10 million in repairs were needed.

Stornoway

— Built as a private home in 1914 and named after a town in the Scottish Hebrides.

— It was home during the Second World War to Princess Juliana, the heir to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who fled to Canada after the Nazi invasion of her homeland.

— In the 1940s, a private fund raised money to buy the house as a residence for the leader of the Official Opposition.

— Conservative Leader George Drew was the first leader to take up residence.