Author: Matthew Francis

Manager, Municipal Heritage Services, Historic Resources Management, Alberta Culture

Stephen Avenue – One of Alberta’s Unique Cultural Landscapes

Matthew Francis
Stephen Avenue - where the historic meets modern.
Stephen Avenue – where the historic meets modern.

Back at our Place Matters! Municipal Heritage Forum in November 2012, we heard a dynamic presentation from City of Calgary Senior Heritage Planner, Darryl Cariou, about Stephen Avenue. He described – with his usual wit – the history of the Avenue from its early days through the various “pedestrian mall” concepts popular from the 1960s through the 90s. One of the most compelling aspects of the presentation was the juxtaposition of images and photographs of the Avenue over the decades.

Stephen Avenue Walking Tour (Municipal Heritage Forum 2012)
Stephen Avenue Walking Tour (Municipal Heritage Forum 2012)

Here is a link to Darryl’s image-rich presentation of Stephen Avenue.

Numerous Provincial and Municipal Historic Resources line Stephen Avenue. What some of you may not know is that this historic district is actually a National Historic Site of Canada, commemorated as such by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 2001. The Parks Canada website describes the importance of Stephen Avenue as:

Calgary’s Stephen Avenue provides a direct link to the unique circumstances that shaped the character of urban development on the Canadian Prairies between the 1880s and 1930.

The typical prairie city was a distinct entity from the beginning: built according to a gridiron plan oriented to the convenience of the railway and its station, with a spatial organization that placed retail and financial businesses close to the station, industry on the outskirts of the core, and residential areas in outlying suburbs that were serviced by streetcar systems. The combination of rapid growth, gridiron plan and distinct commercial, industrial and residential zones distinguished western cities from their older eastern counterparts.

During Calgary’s “sandstone era,” entrepreneurs converged on Stephen Avenue, building rows of commercial blocks in brick and stone that reflected the dramatic growth in the retail sector of the Canadian economy at that time. This street became the hub of Calgary’s retail district, strategically situated near the station and rail yards, and at the convergence point for streetcar lines leading to the city’s outskirts.

The remarkable thing about Stephen Avenue is that it continues to perform its original function as Calgary’s main street, despite the dramatic changes that have transformed retailing and urban cores across the country. Today, the rows of two to six storey commercial buildings that line both sides of the street continue to house a broad range of retail services, while their designs reflect the architectural revival styles of a bygone era, in sharp contrast to the office towers that now encircle the area.

Saved from redevelopment through the efforts of far-sighted Calgarians in the 1970s, the buildings along Stephen Avenue serve as reminders of the central role that retail streets have played, and continue to play, in sustaining the vitality of Canada’s cities.

Whether you stroll Stephen Avenue this summer as a tourist, rush along the street during your lunch break or dine in one of the many restaurants along the Avenue, perhaps the next time you experience Stephen Avenue you will take a moment to breath in the history and heritage of this significant cultural landscape!

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

Century Homes Calgary wins Governor General’s Award

Matthew Francis

Century Homes Calgary logoAt the Place Matters! Municipal Heritage Forum back in November 2012, we heard about a highly successful community program called “Century Homes Calgary.” This initiative engaged hundreds of Calgarians in showcasing the unique heritage of their 100-year old homes, with over 500 homes participating.

In June 2012, the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation awarded a Heritage Awareness Grant for this creative initiative.

Recently, the Century Homes Calgary project, and its parent organization the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society, received recognition as the 2012 English winner of the prestigious Governor General’s Award for Community Programming.

A house participating in Century Homes Calgary
A house participating in Century Homes Calgary

Here are the two presentations made at the Forum about the Century Homes Calgary project:

The group’s presentation at our Forum generated a lot of interest from other communities to learn how they could develop similar events.

Congratulations on your award and thank you for being an inspiration!

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

City of Medicine Hat sees two new listings on the Alberta Register

Matthew Francis

A community rich in Alberta history – boasting not one but two National Historic Sites of Canada – the City of Medicine Hat recently had two of its designated Municipal Historic Resources listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places.

St John's Presbyterian Church Medicine HatSignificant for its status as the oldest church building in Medicine Hat, and the home of the City’s oldest religious congregation, St. John’s Presbyterian Church was listed on the Register in late 2012.

Just this week, another historic place designated by the City, the Merchants Bank of Canada, was also listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places. Constructed in 1899, the Merchants Bank is valued not only as the first permanent bank branch in the City, but also as an important building constructed of brick, in a city where brick was historically an important and characteristic local material, and brick-making a key industry.

Merchants Bank, Medicine HatCongratulations to the City of Medicine Hat and the owners of these two properties for being listed on the Alberta Register!

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

What Municipalities Should Know About Aboriginal Heritage

Matthew Francis

Resources of significance to Aboriginal peoples are located throughout Alberta. Sometimes these will be places of important traditional use as well as places of great spiritual value. Municipal staff and officials, however, are often not highly aware of what they can do to better understand the many dimensions of Aboriginal heritage.

What Municipalities Should Know About Aboriginal HeritageAt this year’s Municipal Heritage Forum, Valerie K. Knaga, Acting Director of the Aboriginal Heritage Section, provided an informative introduction to this important work. Many connections were made as municipal stakeholders asked questions and networked with Valerie and Blair First Rider, another staff member of the Aboriginal Heritage Section.

The Aboriginal Heritage Section, which is part of Alberta Culture’s Historic Resources Management Branch, has knowledgeable staff – including Valerie and Blair – who are available to assist in building municipal capacity to respond to significant matters of Aboriginal heritage, by:

  • relationship building & facilitation;
  • educational site visits;
  • cultural training; and
  • informational presentations.

2012 marked the first time the Section has been represented at our annual Municipal Heritage Forum and we plan to sustain this important connection in years to come.

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

How Cultural Landscapes Build Strong Communities

Matthew Francis

The Morris Schumiatcher room at the Glenbow Museum was standing-room only during Michelle Reid’s dynamic breakout session at the 2012 Place Matters Municipal Heritage Forum. Her topic: “How Cultural Landscapes Build Strong Communities.”

Cultural Landscapes ConnectMichelle is the Conservation Landscape Architect with Calgary Parks, and has provided leadership to award-winning projects such as the restoration of Central Memorial Park and the Reader Rock Garden.

We were honoured that Michelle was available to provide Forum attendees with an inside look at some of the stellar work that the City of Calgary is doing with its urban historic landscapes. Not only did we glean a deeper understanding of the historic legacy of William Roland Reader, Calgary’s first Superintendent of Parks, but we also saw how the cultivation and care of some of these landscapes have had a positive social impact in communities like Bridgeland, the Beltline, and Bowness.

Alberta’s largest city is making a difference when it comes to preserving and celebrating its dynamic public spaces, but Michelle made it clear that this is not only a Calgary or a big city focus. Many attendees from rural municipalities and smaller towns and villages also connected with these places, and saw ways to strengthen their own communities by nurturing their historic landscapes.

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

Municipalities Show and Tell at the Place Matters Forum

Matthew Francis

At the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum we invited a broad range of communities to show and tell about their heritage planning projects. Back by popular demand, this year’s Place Matters Forum, saw three communities showcase their recent projects and achievements.

Malcolm Sissons presenting on the recent activities of the City of Medicine Hat Heritage Resources Committee.

Malcolm Sissons, Chair of the City of Medicine Hat’s Heritage Resources Committee, informed Forum attendees about some of the progress made in Medicine Hat since the establishment of the Committee. This has included the designation of new Municipal Historic Resources, heritage awareness activities, and also the possibility of creating a Municipal Historic Area.

Ann Ramsden, Director of the Musée Héritage Museum in St. Albert, described the sensitive rehabilitation of the Little White School, particularly describing how this historic place was adapted for barrier-free access.

Stepping into action on behalf of the CAO of the Village of Holden, Dave Maruszeczka, from the Village of Holden Heritage Resources Committee, spoke eloquently – totally off the cuff – about the diligent heritage planning efforts of the Village, which have now resulted in a complete Municipal Heritage Survey, Inventory, and a nearly complete Heritage Management Plan.

We would like to thank all the community presenters who took the time to “show and tell” at this years Forum – as well as those who were unable to attend. We look forward to even more great community heritage stories from across Alberta at Forum 2013!

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

Re-Imagining the Urban Landscape & Motivations for Conservation

Matthew Francis

Forum 2012 Keynote Address

While the weather outside was frightful, the keynote address by Julian Smith at this year’s Municipal Heritage Forum intrigued and delighted a rapt audience of heritage stakeholders from across Alberta.

Entitled “Re-Imagining the Historic Urban Landscape,” the presentation examined some of the historical underpinnings (‘biases’)  that have guided heritage conservation, and charted a new trajectory broad enough to include landscapes and the ‘rituals’ by which people live in today’s globalized world. In his opening remarks, Julian described how international eyes are on Canada, and indeed on Alberta, as we launch into new conservation perspectives.

A Diagram composed by Julian Smith describing the historical “biases” that have characterized heritage conservation activities.

This wide-ranging re-imagination spanned the globe as Julian showcased examples and issues from Canada, the United States, Japan, India, and Europe. The newly emerging “ecological” focus not only embraces broader environmental concerns, but also takes into account the relationships between built heritage and its surroundings in a deeper way.

Many Forum participants commented on how Julian’s presentation expanded their horizons, opening up new avenues for consideration and ideas they hadn’t thought of before.

Stay tuned! A copy of Julian’s presentation will soon follow.

City of Calgary Senior Heritage Planner Darryl Cariou presents Julian Smith with the City’s traditional “White Hat” honour.

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

The Joy of Plaques

Matthew Francis

A tried and true way to recognize your locally significant historic places is with a lasting physical acknowledgement of some kind or another. So it is not surprising that for at least 140 years, communities around the world have used plaques, such as English Heritage’s renowned “Blue Plaques, to celebrate the heritage of a place.

Town of Wainwright plaques with Heritage Program Coordinator Scott Flett

Here in Alberta, we have had our own “blue plaques” to mark Provincial Historic Resources.

In addition, a number of municipalities have gotten into the act. Since 1978, the Historical Resources Acthas given local governments in Alberta the power to legally protect significant properties at the local level, through a bylaw of council. These Municipal Historic Resources carry the same level of legal protection as provincially designated properties, but with local heritage values in mind.

City of Edmonton, Strathcona Library Municipal Historic Resource Plaque

Here on RETROactive, we would like to begin to showcase some of the plaques and plaque programs that have been developed by municipalities around the province. To start with, I’ll just post a few pictures of locally-developed plaques that I have seen on my travels around Alberta. Perhaps these might inspire your community to designate and recognize some of your own locally significant historic places.

If you have pictures of plaques for other Municipal Historic Resources in your community, please feel free to email them to me at Matthew.Francis@gov.ab.ca. We will regularly feature some of these plaques and the meaningful historic places they recognize here on RETROactive, your blog for Alberta’s historic places.

City of Medicine Hat, St. John’s Presbyterian Church -Municipal Historic Resource Plaque

Clearwater County creates a future for historic Nordegg townsite

Matthew Francis
Clearwater County staff, (L-R): Kim Jakowski, Amanda Wilson, Marilyn Sanders, Joe Baker, Rick Eamons

On August 8th I joined five members of Clearwater County’s staff for a visit to the Nordegg townsite, where the County has for many years been laying the foundation for a dynamic rejuvenation of this historic Alberta community. 

In particular, the municipality has recently partnered with the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program to evaluate ten properties of historic interest, five within Nordegg, and five in the surrounding rural areas. Clearwater County was awarded a grant of $12, 500 for this Municipal Heritage Inventory project. 

Nordegg streetscape

More than ten years ago, Joe Baker, the County’s Director for the West Country and Planning Development, got the ball rolling for a future for this once bustling mining community by creating the Nordegg Development Plan. This plan envisioned that new life could emerge within the historic environment which once housed more than 2, 500 people, many of them employed by the Brazeau Colliers mine, which built the townsite.

Now, after considerable planning and infrastructure development at Nordegg, the Townsite is becoming more and more ready

Nordegg sidewalks and light standards

to accommodate new life, both in terms of commercial and residential development. New residential streets have been built, along with sidewalks and light standards.

The historic resources evaluated on Main Street, including the former bank, church, general store and garage, which will anchor and inspire new construction informed by sound principles for new construction in historic districts.

This is an exciting time as historic places can become a value-added catalyst for sustainable growth in rural Alberta.

Written by:Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

Creating a Future for Alberta’s Historic Main Streets

Matthew Francis

Training in the Four-Point Approach®

Attendees at the AMSP Training Session

Twenty-five participants representing accredited Alberta Main Street Program communities from across Alberta gathered at Lougheed House in Calgary on June 25th and 26th for essential training in the Four-Point Approach® – Design, Organization, Marketing, and Economic Development.

Wainwright, Uptowne Olds and Downtown Lethbridge are currently accredited as Main Street communities, meaning they have completed Municipal Heritage Inventory evaluations to assess their local heritage values and places, and have also committed themselves to the Alberta Main Street Program’s Standards of Performance on an ongoing basis.

Participants listening to tour guide Murray Ledarney during our walk through Inglewood.

We were especially pleased to have Todd Barman, Program Advisor for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, come up from the U.S. to tell us more about Economic Restructuring for Main Street. While we did lots of learning, we also had some “hands on” educational opportunities, with a tour of historic Inglewood on Monday evening.

Members of the Alberta Main Street Program participate in an active network with other communities looking to help their historic commercial areas to thrive. The program provides training, coordination, and also project-based grants, available to member communities, on a project-basis.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Alberta Main Street Program can feel free to contact me, Matthew Francis, anytime.

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager, Municipal Heritage Services