16 Facts About Rideau Hall

1.

Rideau Hall is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and his or her representative, the governor general of Canada.

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2.

Rideau Hall is likewise the location of many Canadian award presentations and investitures, where prime ministers and other members of the federal Cabinet are sworn in, and where federal writs of election are "dropped", among other ceremonial and constitutional functions.

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3.

Name Rideau Hall was chosen by Thomas McKay for his villa, drawing inspiration from the Rideau Canal which he had helped construct, though the house was known colloquially as McKay's Castle.

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4.

But, Rideau Hall stuck as the informal name and the existence of two names for the building led to some issue: in 1889 the viceregal consort, the Lady Stanley of Preston, was rebuked by Queen Victoria for calling the house Rideau Hall; it was to be Government House, as in all other Empire capitals.

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5.

In 1864, Rideau Hall was leased by the Crown from the McKay family for $4,000 per year and was intended to serve only as a temporary home for the viceroy until a proper government house could be constructed.

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6.

Still, despite the popularity of the events that took place in the building, negative first impressions of Rideau Hall itself were a theme until the early part of the 20th century.

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7.

Rideau Hall continued in his vehicle approximately 120 metres along the path beyond before proceeding further on foot, hiding in the rose garden for a few minutes and then moving on towards the greenhouses behind Rideau Hall itself.

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8.

The majority of Rideau Hall's area is dedicated to affairs of state; only 500 m of the total 9,500 m being dedicated to private living quarters.

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9.

One of the greatest alterations to the form of Rideau Hall came in 1913, with the construction of the Mappin Block as a link between the ballroom and Tent Room, along with a re-facing of the two latter structures to harmonise their windows, cornice heights, and cladding, all in an "adapted Florentine architectural style" designed by Chief Dominion Architect David Ewart.

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10.

Rideau Hall was designated as a classified heritage property by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office in 1986, giving it the highest heritage significance in Canada.

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11.

Rideau Hall has long been a collection point for Canadian art and cabinetry.

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12.

Originally, most of the art in Rideau Hall was the personal property of the incumbent governor general and, as with much of the furnishings, was removed upon the end of the viceroy's commission.

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13.

Today the collection of furnishing, art, and artifacts at Rideau Hall is composed of private gifts from the Canada Fund and the Friends of Rideau Hall.

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14.

Also, each member of the royal family or visiting dignitary to Rideau Hall is asked to plant a tree; as such, the park, mostly along the main drive, is dotted with nearly 100 trees with small plaques at their bases listing the name and office of the person who planted each particular tree.

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15.

The earliest governors general added amenities such as a curling rink, a skating pond, toboggan runs, tennis courts, and the like, and many of the guests at Rideau Hall would partake in these outdoor activities, including prime ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Robert Borden, who would often skate on the iced over pond with the viceregal family.

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16.

Grounds of Rideau Hall have been open to the public since 1921, when the Lord Byng of Vimy's aide-de-camp resolved to open Government House to "all who had a right to be there, " a move that outraged the traditionalists.

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