Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
Fire Station No. 3, built in 1906, is a two-storey, red-brick landmark distinguished by large rounded-arch doorways and a distinctive second-storey oriel window. The 1462.6 square-meter (0.36-acre) parcel is located in the inner-city community of Inglewood on its main commercial thoroughfare, Ninth Avenue SE.
Heritage Value
Fire Station No. 3 is historically significant as the home of fire-fighting operations in the Inglewood and surrounding communities (then called East Calgary) from the time it was completed in 1906, until its closure in 1952. As the name implies, it was the third station to be established in the city, and the first to be located both outside the centre city and east of the Elbow River. From this location, the fire station alone served the entire area east of the Elbow River, a vast expanse where much industrial activity was situated. In 1914, the responsibilities of Fire Hall No. 3 were lessened when Fire Station No. 8 was opened at 10 Avenue and 20 Street SE (Col. Walker Estate).
When Fire Station No. 3 opened, it housed up-to-date equipment comprising a standard hose wagon and a hook-and-ladder wagon (both horse drawn), but was also the last station in the city to retain such horse-drawn equipment; the last horse team of the city’s Fire Department was retired from the station in 1933. In its early history the station also maintained second-floor accommodations for 10 firemen. In 1952 the operations of Fire Station No. 3 were transferred to a new facility at 23 Avenue and 17 Street SE.
After the building’s closure as a fire station it remained a community focal point as the Inglewood Community Association from about 1952-69. During this time it was a centre of community meetings and events.
Fire Station No. 3 is architecturally important for its functional and Commercial-style attributes. The red-brick building is characterized by a distinctive, protruding, second-storey oriel window and by a thick metal roofline cornice inscribed with ‘FIRE STATION No 3’ lettering. Large rounded doorways trimmed with sandstone serve to further identify the building’s historic function.
The building is also valued as one of only five pre-World War One fire stations (out of twelve) to survive in the city. While many of the other pre-World War One stations were of similar or identical design, Fire Station No. 3 was unique as a singular example of its type of design.
The building contributes significantly to the historic Ninth Avenue streetscape in the Inglewood community. With Ninth Avenue being the principle east-west thoroughfare in the community, the building’s prominence on the street, combined with its historic and distinctive character makes it an area landmark.
Character-Defining Elements
The exterior and contextual character-defining elements of Fire Station No. 3 include, but are not limited to its:
- Red-brick facades; brickwork forming window sills and corbelled arch abutments; sandstone detailing comprising arch abutments and keystones; stone window detailing with corner blocks and keystones;
- Two-storey form with flat roof;
- Thick, classically-influenced, metal roofline cornice with parapet containing ‘FIRE STATION No 3’ lettering;
- Rounded-arch doorway openings (main facade);
- Fenestration with segmental-arched single and double-assembly windows with divided sash profiles; wood-clad oriel window (second-storey, main facade); and
- Original location and placement of the building on the site with unobstructed orientation to Ninth Avenue SE.
Location