Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE BANK PREMISES DEPARTMENT 493done, and several experimental buildings were erected, beforethe bank felt justified in proceeding with a considerable numberat one time. They have, however, justified themselves, havingproved durable beyond all expectation, commodious, popularand creditable in architectural effect. The pilastered andpedimented example illustrated by Canora, and the broadand massive effect of the design illustrated by Radville areparticularly satisfying in their effect, and dominate theirsurroundings to the proper degree, without seeming out ofharmony with them.The buildings belonging to the bank in eastern Canadaand in the larger cities and towns in the West are necessarilypermanent structures, and range, according to the importanceof their location, from buildings of the simplest and mostordinary brick and timber work to those of the highest standardof fire-proof construction. Unlike the frame buildings, they areusually designed individually to meet the requirements of thebusiness of the branch and the topographical conditions ofeach site. In contrast with the ample lots available atcomparatively low cost in the new prairie settlements, whichrendered possible the erection of detached buildings designedto be lighted from all four sides, the sites in these cases oftenconsist of restricted areas of costly land, sometimes irregularin shape and usually more or less surrounded by other buildings.Among the earliest of these buildings was the group represented1by Blenheim, Ayr and Fernie, where by such simple meansas rusticated courses of ordinary brick, and wooden cornices, atype of design was produced in keeping with its purposeand yet not too formal for the surroundings. A branch in acomparatively small town may transact a large business andtherefore require a large building, but while the building maydominate its surroundings to a reasonable extent, and leadarchitecturally, it ought not to be designed on lines so formalas to be a detriment to its more modest neighbours. A gracefulseries of brick buildings of this character includes Woodstock,1See plate 60, facing page 402.