Newsletter
In our SUMMER 2007 issue you'll find…
-> Municipal Heritage Forum October 10th in Edmonton
-> Centre Street Bridge – Municipal Historic Resource
-> Alberta’s Historic Places Designation Program
Municipal Heritage Forum October 10th in Edmonton
For the first time in Alberta, all municipal stakeholders interested in protecting our significant historic places are being invited to gather together for a day of information sharing and collaborative strategy. Whether you are a planner, a municipal staffer who holds the heritage portfolio, an elected official, an owner of an historic place, a consultant, or an advocate for conserving our history and heritage, you are invited to attend this ‘first-of-its-kind’ heritage forum.
Held on Wednesday October 10, 2007, at the World Trade Centre in Edmonton, the forum is being carefully planned to provide key knowledge for both seasoned professionals and those new to heritage conservation issues in Alberta. “We are creating this forum as an opportunity to bring together into one room all of the people invested in protecting historic places on a daily basis,” says the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program’s Matthew Francis. “One of MHPP’s primary goals is to see working linkages between municipalities forged, best practices shared freely, and resources such as cost-sharing for heritage planning flowing efficiently.”
In addition, successful inter-municipal heritage planning projects have been undertaken in the previous year, with MHPP support. One such project is the Municipal Heritage Surveys of five communities along the Highway 21 corridor, including Three Hills, Bashaw, Elnora, Donalda, and Rockyford. Alone, the task of planning to protect historic places can sometimes be daunting, but in working together with the Town of Three Hill, the Villages developed a strong heritage survey. One aspect of the upcoming forum will be in providing opportunities for similar potential projects to be identified and initiated.
The forum is scheduled for October 10th, the day prior to the start of the Annual Heritage Canada Conference, this year being held in Edmonton. Come for the forum and stay for the conference. An essential event for heritage decision makers, planners, architects and developers, community activists, advocates and consultants. This year’s theme is:
"Big Plans for Old Places: Heritage and Development in Canadian
Communities"
Edmonton, Alberta
October 11 to 14, 2007
Look for information on the Municipal Forum arriving in your mailbox soon. For more information contact Matthew Francis at (780) 438-8502 or via email matthew.francis@gov.ab.ca
Centre
Street Bridge – Municipal Historic Resource
Officially opened in November of 1916, Centre Street Bridge was Calgary's first concrete bridge. Distinguished by its public statuary, it was known as the "Bridge of Lions", due to the four stone cast lions created by local artisan James L. Thomson, who modeled the carvings after those at the base of Admiral Nelson's Monument in Trafalgar Square, London, England.
The first crossing at Centre Street was a pedestrian crossing known as Foggs Ferry, built in 1882. It was replaced prior to the turn of the century by a privately built steel truss structure which was operated as a till bridge. It fell into rapid disrepair and the city took over the bridge in 1911 and put in into public use. Condemned by the Alberta Highways Department in 1915, the need for a new bridge became urgent. Plans for the Centre Street Bridge, as well as the Mission and Louise Bridges, were initiated as early as 1911. No agreement could be reached by City officials regarding the placement and construction technology of the structure until 1912, when City Engineer George Craig was asked to prepare plans for a concrete bridge. The plans were approved by the Province, but later that year construction was delayed by a rate-payers’ debate and further dispute over advice offered by Thomas Mawson. Mawon recommended an entirely new set of plans, which favoured a low-level bridge and also included a grandiose scheme for a gigantic elevator to lift pedestrians and automobiles up the north escarpment. This proposal was questioned by City officials and ratepayers on both sides of the river, who feared a loss of property and a hefty tax increase. Further decisions on the bridge construction were interrupted by World War One.
Following the 1915 flood and near drowning of Commissioner J.H. Garden while he was inspecting the existing structure, by-laws were passed to allocate funds for the project. A consulting engineer and bridge designer of the day, John F. Green, was hired to re-work the plans and oversee the project. City engineer George Craig was scrutinized by Council throughout the project's construction because of allegations of mismanagement and cost overruns (there was difficulty acquiring steel supplies during the war). At an original cost of $400,000, the bridge was constructed in less than two years. Midway through construction the lower deck, originally designed for pedestrians only, was converted to include a roadway. The bridge was considered to be one of the finest in Canada at its completion.
Throughout the sixties, there was significant concern regarding the structural safety of the bridge, due to dirt slides along the embankments of the Bow River and growing traffic volume. Mayor Rod Sykes called for a re-building of the bridge and relocation further east. Chinatown merchants and residents opposed this proposal, and it was decided a major renovation to the bridge would be made. Undertaken in 1974, the renovation closed bridge operations for five months, causing much consternation among Centre Street businessmen. The bridge was renovated once more from 1999 to 2000. Further restorative work was carried out on the lion statues in the 1980s and again from 2003 to the present.
The Centre Street Bridge was designated a Municipal Historic Resource by the City of Calgary on July 27, 1992.
Alberta’s
Historic Places Designation Program
Through Alberta’s Historic Places Designation Program, owners of historic places and other interested parties may submit an application to have a site evaluated for possible provincial designation. Under the Historical Resources Act, a Provincial Historic Resource is protected against being destroyed, disturbed, altered or moved without the written approval of the Minister of Alberta, Parks, Tourism and Culture. Matthew Wangler, Head of Alberta’s Historic Places Designation Program answered a few questions for MHPP:
What is the difference between a Provincial and a Municipal Historic
Resource?
There are several significant differences between Provincial and Municipal
Historic Resources. Potential Provincial Historic Resources are evaluated
by staff of the Historic Resources Management Branch. Any site designated
as a Provincial Historic Resource must possess province-wide significance for
its historical, cultural, or natural identity. Provincial Historic Resources
are designated through an Order from the Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation
and Culture. Any proposed changes to Provincial Historic Resources must be
approved by the Historic Resources Management Branch. Once designated,
Provincial Historic Resources are listed on the Alberta and Canadian Registers
of Historic Places and owners of these sites are eligible for up to $75,000 in
matching grants over any consecutive five-year period from the Alberta Historical
Resources Foundation (AHRF) for conservation work.
Municipal Historic Resources are evaluated by municipalities and possess local or regional significance. Municipal councils designate Municipal Historic Resources through a bylaw. Any changes to Municipal Historic Resources are administered by municipal council. Before Municipal Historic Resources are eligible for grants from AHRF, the designating municipality must submit a package of mandatory documentation on the site to the Head of the Historic Places Designation Program. Owners of Municipal Historic Resources are eligible for up to $25,000 in matching grants over any consecutive five-year period from AHRF for conservation work.
What is mandatory documentation?
In order for a designated historic resource to be listed on the Alberta and
Canadian Registers of Historic Places specific sets of information about the
resource known as “mandatory documentation” must be
included. Mandatory documentation is descriptive information
about the resource including location, designation, digital images
and statements of significance and integrity.
All mandatory documentation is submitted to the Alberta Register via the internet on an electronic form (e-form). Once a resource has been designated as a Municipal Historic Resource and a copy of the bylaw has been sent to the Office of Alberta’s Historic Places Designation Program, a user code and password to the e-form will be assigned.
Application forms for provincial designation can be downloaded at Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, Historic Resources Management's web site. For more information, you may also contact Matthew Wangler at (780) 438-8503 or email matthew.wangler@gov.ab.ca.
To read our archival newsletters, please click on the issue below: