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Eau Claire Smokestack
Calgary
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Eau Claire Smokestack, dating from 1947, is a 27.4-metre (90-foot) high, red-brick chimney structure located in downtown Calgary. The stand-alone structure is occupies the south-west corner of its lot and is situated at the intersection of Second Avenue and Barclay Parade south-west.
Heritage Value
The brick smokestack in the Eau Claire Market plaza is a remnant of the Calgary Transit System Garage which stood on the site from 1947 until 1988. It is the sole tangible link to that era of Eau Claire’s development history. Together with The Eau Claire and Bow River Lumber Company office, built in 1911, the smokestack recalls the successive industrial uses of the area before its development as a shopping and entertainment district in the 1990s.
The 27.4-metre (90-foot) high smokestack, dating to 1947, was built in conjunction with the heating and boiler system for the large garage erected on the site to house the Calgary Transit System maintenance and storage facilities. Earlier that year the City of Calgary had purchased the site of the Eau Claire and Bow River Lumber Company to establish the facility. The City also acquired three, surplus aircraft hangars from the Royal Air Force Training Station at DeWinton, south of Calgary, which were re-assembled on the Eau Claire site. These hangars were initially constructed in 1941 for the Elementary Flying Training School No.31 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. One hangar was assembled north of First Avenue south-west. and became the Civic Garage. The other two hangars were re-assembled back-to-back on the property and became the Calgary Transit System Maintenance Garage for the servicing of busses and trolleys. A new brick lean-to structure designed by Cawston & Stevenson Architects and built by the Bennett and White Construction Company was placed alongside the south end of these two hangars and faced Second Avenue SW. It contained offices, staff rooms, an oil room, battery room, engine repair shop, degreasing room and a large boiler room, out (off) of which rose this smokestack. The two, 68 cubic metre (2,400-cubic foot) boilers connected to the smokestack were capable of heating twice the area that existed at the time in case of future expansions. The garage was, in fact, later expanded with a concrete block extension that was added to the northern portion of the garage.
The complex at Eau Claire represented a major period of modernization for the City’s Transit System. Upon completion, the 5,295-square metre (57,000-square foot) transit garages housed complete repair, servicing, fueling and washing facilities for up to 36 gas and diesel buses and 32 trolley busses. Buses and trolleys would enter the maintenance garages off second Street through one of eight lanes, depending on the servicing required and leave through west end of the structure. Notable features of the facility included an overhead crane for the easy movement of overhauling and repairing engines, as well as hoists capable of lifting 10,886-kilograms (24,000-pounds) of weight, or one trolley.
In 1975 a new bus facility was inaugurated at Spring Gardens and the old complex was used for quick and minor repairs and storage. In the 1980s the complex was demolished to make way for the Eau Claire market and plaza, with the smokestack surviving as the only portion of the complex to survive.
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Eau Claire Smokestack include its:
- red-brick construction and appearance;
- 27.4-metre (90-foot) height;
- cylindrical, tapered form with corbelled cap protruding intake;
- iron door at base
- original placement on the site;
- landmark character with an open and unobstructed immediate context.
Location
| Street Address: |
382 - 2 Avenue SW |
| Community: |
Calgary |
| Boundaries: |
Lot 11, Block 1, Plan 9410601 |
| Contributing Resources: |
Structures: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
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Mer |
Rge |
Twp |
Sec |
LSD |
5
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1
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24
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15
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13
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PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
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Plan |
Block |
Lot |
Parcel |
9410601
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1
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11
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Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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51.05157681930 |
-114.06948084400 |
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: |
2008/07/14 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1947/01/01 |
| Period of Significance: |
N/A |
| Theme(s): |
Developing Economies : Communications and Transportation
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| Historic Function(s): |
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| Current Function(s): |
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| Architect: |
Cawston & Stevenson
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| Builder: |
Bennett and White Construction
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| Context: |
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0266 |
| Designation File: |
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| Related Listing(s): |
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| Heritage Survey File: |
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| Website Link: |
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| Data Source: |
City of Calgary, Heritage Planning, File No. 03-134 |
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