Buck, Charles Herman | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada

BUCK, Charles Herman (1895-1973) is credited with designing many timber frame buildings at Jasper National Park during the term when he held the position of Staff Architect with the federal Dept. of Mines & Resources in 1939-45. These structures included the Youth Hostel buildings (1944), the Warden;s Operations Building (1941), and the Fish Hatchery Building (1941). Born in Toronto on 31 August 1895 he attended the Toronto Technical School and trained under John M. Lyle (in 1911-13), with Charles S. Cobb (in 1914), them moved to New York City to work as assistant to Charles Platt in 1915. After returning to Toronto he became a staff architect for the Toronto Transit Commission and designed many of their office buildings, street car sheds and repair shops. From 1929 he was active as a draftsman with Marani, Lawson & Morris and after 1935 moved to Ottawa to join the federal government. He resigned from the O.A.A. in September 1963 and died in Ottawa on 17 September 1973 (death notice Globe & Mail [Toronto], 19 Sept. 1973, 45; inf. Ontario Assoc. of Architects; inf. Kate MacFarlane, Parks Canada, Ottawa).