The former Post Office at 201 Charlotte Street [Peterborough, Ontario] is exceptional for its architectural and historical value. Called “the most modern post office in Canada” at the time of its construction, the building is representative of contemporary innovation in both architecture and technology. Designed to replace the old Post Office at Hunter and Water Streets, plans for the new federal building began as early as 1914, but were postponed twice by the two World Wars. Construction finally began on the new building in 1952. The grand opening of the new Post Office on June 27, 1955 was attended by the Hon. Robert Winters, Minister of Public Works, and the Deputy Post Master General, W.J. Turnbull. 201 Charlotte Street has significant architectural value as an excellent example of the Modern style. Constructed in the mid 1950’s, the new federal building was designed to make use of new building techniques such as curtain walls in order to create long bands of horizontal windows that span the building’s exterior. The former federal building has excellent historical value as a representative of both the changing faces of technology, and the increasing public demand for new technology. The new facility was provided with top of the line equipment, including a high tech sorting machine imported from Holland, the Transorma, which was the first of its kind in Canada, and capable of sorting 15,000 pieces of mail per hour. |