3 Calgary buildings up for historic designation
Some places around the world have histories that date back thousands of years but Calgary only became a city in 1894.
Even though it's relatively young, there's not much left from that era, and Heritage Calgary is working hard to preserve what buildings it can.
Three structures are set to be designated as municipal heritage resources by city council.
They include the Dominion Bank — now Teatro Ristorante — which was built in 1911; a home built in Scarboro in 1914, which is still owned by the Moodie family; and the 1913 bungalow-style North Mount Pleasant School.
Josh Traptow is the executive director of Heritage Calgary and says the designation is important for the long-term protection of the structures.
"That means that the property is designated in perpetuity," said Traptow. "It can't be demolished, it can't be significantly altered so for some owners that's a significant thing."
Traptow says the school is city property but the bank and Scarboro home are privately owned and the owners have expressly agreed to the designation as a Municipal Historic Resource.
"It's great to see all of these sites come forward," said Traptow. "Hopefully it will serve as encouragement to other Calgarians to consider designating as municipal heritage resources."
The properties listed in the report to city council were built in the early 1900s, during Calgary's pre-First World War boom period.
In 1906, Calgary's population was almost 12,000, but by 1911 it had ballooned to 43,704.
According to Heritage Caglary's report to council, "The (North Mount Pleasant) school represents an architectural response to Calgary’s most prolific period of growth when school enrollment tripled. The Calgary School Board instigated an ambitious program to build large sandstone schools to accommodate the population growth, but construction of the elaborate structures could not keep pace with the growth.
"Beginning in 1910, the Calgary School Board adopted a policy to erect economical, two-room, wood-frame schools, or ‘cottage’ schools, which could be converted to residential use when their educational use became redundant."
Traptow's research on the the Dominion Bank found it's highly valued as an intact and rare example in Calgary of an Edwardian-era temple bank built in the exuberantly ornate, Beaux Arts style.
"It's just a magnificent example of other banks on Stephen Avenue," said Traptow. "It's not often you use terra cotta tile on a building, so the craftsmanship that they would have used to build that building was magnificent and knowing that all those tiles were placed by hand."
The Scarboro home was built by J. Frank Moodie, an entrepreneur and self-taught geologist who helped develop the Drumheller coal field and Turner Valley oil field.
Traptow says it's the first house to be designated in the community.
"The Scarboro United Church is also designated," said Traptow. "But this is the first residential home so we're hoping that this will encourage other property (owners) in Scarboro to come forward with municipal heritage designation to help protect the look of the neighbourhood."
It is expected city council will make the final decision on the historic designations July 26.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.