The
Victorian era was a time of great interest in the advancement of natural sciences and many nations built
zoos,
observatories,
botanical gardens, and experimental farms. Canada followed suit and as the result of lobbying by
John Carling, the Minister of Agriculture, and
William Saunders, the first director of the research branch, the "Act Respecting Experimental Stations" came into force in 1886. The land owned by local Ottawa farmers including John Mulligan (1799–1886) was sold to the government to create the experimental farm. The CEF started out with 188 hectares, chosen because of their proximity to
Parliament Hill but (at that time) outside the city. Over the next few years the site was prepared by improving the land, building the facilities, and planting the
Arboretum and forest belt. The CEF was established as the centre piece of the
Dominion Experimental Farms, which would also have a series of sub stations located in other Canadian provinces. Early research projects focused only on
entomology,
botany, and
horticulture. The Chief Dominion Architect(s) designed a number of prominent public buildings in Canada including those at the CEF:
Thomas Seaton Scott (1871–1881);
Thomas Fuller (architect) (1880–1897);
David Ewart (1897–1914);
Edgar Lewis Horwood (1914–1918);
Richard Cotsman Wright (1918–1927);
Thomas W. Fuller (1927–1936),
Charles D. Sutherland (1936–1947);
Joseph Charles Gustave Brault (1947–1952) Thomas Seaton Scott and Thomas Fuller adopted the
Neo-Gothic style. David Ewart embraced the
Scottish baronial style. In 1887–1888, Chief Dominion Architect
Thomas Fuller designed the Museum, laboratories, barn, stables, and Staff Residences on Prince of Wales Drive In 1887, Charles F. Cox lay out of the site and design of farm buildings. In 1887–1888, William John Beckett, a contractor, served as foreman during the building of the residences, offices and barns. In 1889, livestock was introduced to the CEF. Chief Dominion Architect
David Ewart designed the Dominion Observatory, Carling Avenue in 1902; Chief Astronomer's Residence, 1909; and the Geodetic Survey Building, 1914. Chief Dominion Architect
Edgar Lewis Horwood designed the Cereal and Agrostology Building, 1915–16; Agricultural Building, 1915; and records storage building, 1937. Chief Dominion Architect
Richard Cotsman Wright designed a number of buildings including: the Poultry Office Building, 1920; and the Botanical Laboratory Building, 1924–25. John Bethune Roper designed the Administration Building, Carling Avenue, 1934. William James Abra designed the Biological Building, 1935. Over the years the scope of research grew and changed, prompting a need to increase the farm's lands and buildings. The Horticulturalist's house and staff residences were removed by the 1930s (they were no longer needed since the city had grown around the farm), the forest belt gradually disappeared, and new larger centralized facilities were built, starting with the Saunders Building in 1935, followed by the Neatby Building, Geophysical Lab, Laboratory Services Building, and the
Carling Building. From 1940 to 1947, building 136 operated as a high frequency Naval Radio Station-CFF which frequently intercepted enemy transmissions. On May 1, 1993, a memorial was erected by NOAC and
Royal Canadian Naval Association Ottawa and dedicated to the Naval Veterans and those who served at this station which provided a link during World War II between Canadian naval headquarters and ships at sea, allied naval headquarters and operational naval authorities. The CEF was the site of a large scale
cannabis grow operation in the 1970s, producing tonnes of crop from plants standing 20 feet tall. It was intended to provide Canadian scientists with reliable samples for research in response to an interim report of the
Le Dain Commission. The plants were near Ash Lane, earning it the nickname "
Hash Lane"; combined with the secrecy around the project, it became a local legend among area youth. The CEF was designated as a National Historic Site in 1998. In 2003,
Public Works and Government Services Canada bought the Skyline office complex on the corner of Merivale and Baseline Roads from
Nortel Networks. The complex has been renamed to "NHCAP" (= National Headquarters Complex for the Agriculture Portfolio). The head offices of
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have been relocated to this facility from the
Sir John Carling Building, which was demolished on July 13, 2014. The CEF housed, prior to its disestablishment on 29 September 2006 by the
Harper government, the
Canadian Agri-Food Research Council. ==Features==