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Connaught Armoury
Edmonton
Other Names:
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Strathcona Armoury
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Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The 1911 Connaught Armoury is a two-storey rectangular brick and sandstone building with a central front entrance and a crenulated parapet. It occupies two city lots and is located on the corner of a residential avenue and 104 Street (Gateway Boulevard) in Edmonton’s historic neighbourhood of Strathcona.
Heritage Value
The Connaught Armoury is significant for its association with the 19th Alberta Dragoons and its design as an armoury.
The Connaught Armoury is significant as the home of the 19th Alberta Dragoons from the building’s construction in 1911 until the regiment was disbanded in 1964. Established in 1908 as the 19th Alberta Mounted Rifles, the regiment was renamed the Dragoons in 1911. This armoury provided a centralized location for military training and housed the Dragoons’ drill hall, rifle range and regimental offices. The Dragoons were the first regiment mobilized during the First World War: they saw extensive service, including the battles at Ypres, the Somme and Vimy Ridge. In 1936 the Dragoons absorbed the Alberta Mounted Rifles Regiment and A Company of the 13th Machine Gun Battalion, and in 1946 the Edmonton Fusiliers as well. The Connaught Armoury continues to serve as a reminder of the military’s long-time presence in Edmonton and its effect on the development of the city.
The Connaught Armoury is significant for its design. The Connaught Armoury was designed to appear imposing and permanent, and alludes to its use with “cannonballs” atop the entry porch and the suggestion of crenulations in the parapet. The brick exterior is accented with limestone, used for the decorative string courses, entrance details, and basement storey. Designed by the Federal Office of the Department of Public Works, it is the oldest remaining armoury of this style in Alberta.
Source: City of Edmonton Planning and Development Department File 58380515.
Character-Defining Elements
The heritage value of the Connaught Armoury is expressed in such character-defining elements as:
- The brick exterior walls with sandstone detailing, including at the foundation level, around the entrance, two string courses and the “cannonballs” atop the entry porch;
- Symmetrical profile with recessed mid-section;
- Projecting front entrance with stone steps, semicircular arch, stone voussoirs and keystone detailing. The corners are offset creating a buttress effect with a stone banding midway with unmarked crest plates. The entrance is capped with stone crenulations detailing with two larger balls on either end, each braced by with four smaller balls;
- Minor stone capped crenulation detailing at the parapet level and centrally located stone date (1911) and name (Armoury) plates;
- Six double openings with timber sash windows and casement windows above the stone lintels. Each is capped by a brick gauged lintel. All windows have angled shaped stone sills;
- Three centrally placed arched tripartite window openings with stone mullion and transom detailing. Main windows are timber sash with the upper ones being casement. Arches are brick with stone archivolt capping. All have angled shaped stone sills;
- Double basement windows vertically aligned with those windows above;
- The main window openings are timber sash with a casement above the stone ‘lintel’ and capped with a brick gauged lintel, with angled shaped stone sills on the east and west façades;
- Four basement windows on the east façade;
- Basement windows on the north façade;
- Interior brickwork as seen in the exposed brick walls;
- Interior timber stair case centrally located on the north wall with timber balustrade and square newels topped with wooden “cannonballs” at the basement and main floor levels;
- Brick fireplace on the second floor of the west wing;
- Timber floors on the second floor; and
- Timber window trims and mouldings throughout.
Location
| Street Address: |
10310 - 85 Avenue NW |
| Community: |
Edmonton |
| Boundaries: |
Lots 1 to 3 and a portion of Lot 4, Block 97, Plan I |
| Contributing Resources: |
Building: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
I
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97
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1-2
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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53.521197 |
-113.496040 |
Secondary Source |
NAD83 |
UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2007/04/06 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1911 to 1911 |
| Period of Significance: |
1911 to 1964 |
| Theme(s): |
Governing Canada : Military and Defence
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| Historic Function(s): |
Defence : Armoury or Drill Hall
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| Current Function(s): |
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| Architect: |
Federal Department of Public Works
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| Builder: |
Brown Contracting Company
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| Context: |
The armoury was named for the Duke of Connaught, who served as Canada's Governor General from 1911 until 1916. |
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Additional Information
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