Architecture
CASO Station was based on the Italianate style of architecture – which was unusual, since most major railway stations built in Canada during the late-19th century, followed the Romanesque (Montreal’s Windsor Station,) Beaux-Arts (Ottawa and Toronto’s Union Stations,) or Second Empire (Montreal’s Bonaventure) styles. It is the largest railway station in the Italianate architectural-style in North America. It measures 354 feet long and 36 feet wide and remains one of the largest buildings in the City. The building originally was surrounded by a canopy that was supported by cast iron columns and brackets. The canopy provided a great vantage point for employees who came out of upstairs windows and onto the roof to view any exciting events at the station. It also protected staff and passengers from the elements, and provided shade for the first floor.