The changing landscape of the Preston corridor

This past summer saw Ottawa’s largest building demolition in its history. In seconds, the 11-storey Sir John Carling Building, located down the road from Preston Square at Dow’s Lake, was collapsed into 40,000 tonnes of wreckage.

The building opened in 1967 and served as the national headquarters of Agriculture Canada, providing offices for over 1,200 employees. By 2009, the building had reportedly deteriorated and reached the end of its life.

Many Ottawa residents woke very early on July 13, a Sunday morning, to watch the 4.8 million dollar controlled implosion, the sound of which could be heard across the city. Demolitionists were able to preserve one section of the building known as the West Annex, a heritage site that will be turned into a visitor center.

Here’s a fascinating video of the implosion recorded by an aerial drone: