700 MacLeod Trail SE
For the December installment of #InstagrammingHistory, we’re going to take a look at Historic City Hall. Now, I know that the building itself is under construction and is completely unviewable at the moment; however, it’s cold, and with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I figured that providing a place that could be visited down the road (when the construction is completed, perhaps?) could be helpful! The building was formally completed in 1911, so when the restoration project was approved in 2014, it was clear that the building was in need of some much-deserved TLC.
Designed by architect William Dodd, Historic City Hall is considered to Alberta’s primary example of the Romanesque Revival architectural style, and is the only surviving building of its kind in western Canada. Construction on the four-storey sandstone building began in 1907, but controversy ensued when the budget to complete the building became more that double the initial estimated cost of $142,000 (this sounds like a throwback version of the Peace Bridge drama, right?). The large sandstone building has a tall, centred clocktower, which has become the focal point of the structure. Calgary’s original Town Hall was built in 1885 and was demolished in 1911, once the new building was complete.
The building used to be multi-purpose, as the head office for the Calgary Police Department was housed in Historic City Hall until 1914. Conveniently, there were also 15 jail cells on the main floor, and the courtroom was in the same building, on the same floor. Such efficiency! As Calgary continued to grow, additional space was needed, and the Calgary Municipal Building was constructed in 1985. Despite the new space, the mayor, city clerk, and councillors keep their offices within Historic City Hall.
Over the years, Historic City Hall has hosted some royal guests. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stopped by in May of 1939 during their Royal Tour. The building did not have a red carpet, so a roll was borrowed from St. Augustine’s Church and was sprawled across the steps of City Hall, extending to the curb. The then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh also visited the building on October 18, 1951, and were greeted by thousands of onlookers who gathered outside the hall, despite the less-than-stellar Calgary weather.
In 2014, City Council approved a plan to rehabilitate the building, which included a 34.1-million-dollar investment. Currently, the building is completely hidden by scaffolding; however, it is expected to be removed in 2020. Since the building is provincially, federally, and municipally protected and recognized, the rehabilitation had to be completed in a way that protects the heritage of the building. This includes sandstone and concrete renewal, a new drainage system, structural rehabilitation of verandas and balconies, retreatment of the sandstone, and more. When the building is revealed, the new sandstone will likely look different than the old, as it has not been given time to weather; however, after several years, the building will look uniform again.
With Historic City Hall getting this little makeover, hopefully you’ll be able to head out and admire the changes and work that went into keeping this building up and running. City Hall is an iconic part of the downtown core, and I know I have missed seeing the sandstone structure while driving downtown. The 2020 reveal can’t come fast enough!
Information Courtesy of the City of Calgary and the City of Calgary Inventory of Historic Resources
