Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Athlone Building, constructed in 1936, is a large two-storey, hollow clay tile encased steel-frame structure distinguished by its T-shaped plan, symmetrical facades of regularly spaced windows, rough-faced white stucco façade, and wood-shingled hipped roof, with a gabled end at the projecting main entrance. The building features simplified Georgian classical motifs exemplified in its cornice mold and concrete frieze banding, periodic decorative plaques, and prominent projecting centralized entrance with a surround of stone pilasters and Palladian windows. Mature landscaping frames the Athlone Building as it prominently sits along the western edge, and on a centreline axis with the ceremonial entry gates, of the historic Parade Square, in the southwest Calgary community of Currie Barracks.
Heritage Value
The Athlone Building, constructed in 1936, is among one of the first permanent military structures that were constructed at Canadian Forces Base Calgary (Currie Barracks). Built under the Public Works Construction Act of 1934, the base served a crucial need in the 1930’s to provide a new location for soldiers to train in Western Canada. The economic downturn after the First World War through to the Great Depression resulted in dramatic cutbacks to Canada’s Defence budget and significant unemployment across Canada. In 1931, Prime Minister R.B. Bennett (with Chief of the General Staff Andrew McNaughton) established a massive public works construction program to create work and improve the nation’s infrastructure. With an allocation of $40 million across the country and Bennett’s riding being Calgary West, $1.2 million and an additional $400,000 (1935) was budgeted for Currie Barracks making it one of the largest public works programs in Canada. The construction of Currie Barracks was an important turning point in the history of Canadian military infrastructure in the interwar years and the Athlone Building is symbolic of this for Calgary.
As the Administration Headquarters, the Athlone Building was the seat of power for the base providing offices for the Base Commander, Regimental Commander, drill instructors, and clerical staff from 1936 until 1997. As the original building of the Parade Square precinct, it was the front door to the day-to-day operations and ceremonial life of Currie Barracks. The building was also designed to include ample space for larger meetings and events, with sizeable lecture rooms housed in each pavilion and a spacious, vaulted-roofed assembly hall.
The Athlone Building is an example of a “stripped down” or simplified Georgian Revival style as evinced by its cornice ends, Palladian window over the main entrance, and simple utilitarian and largely unadorned symmetrical façades. The white, rough faced stucco finish of the Athlone Building significantly contributes to the military architectural style established for Currie Barracks and amplifies the sympathetic grouping of historic buildings (Bessborough, Bennett and Barracks buildings) around Parade Square. The highly functional layout is reflected in its “T-shaped” plan and centralized entrance lobby. The original double-return staircase with ornamental wrought iron balustrade, cast-iron newel posts, and decorative scrollwork brackets establishes a welcoming centralized elegant formal entrance for the circulation pattern of the building. A Canadian Army insignia, consisting of a crown above three branches of maple overlaid on a pair of crossed swords, is inset into the terrazzo flooring of the foyer. These ornamental features are unique to the Athlone Building and immediately identify it as a structure of singular importance on the base. Constructed at a cost of approximately $156,035, the building embodies distinct characteristics of the fireproofing construction method used across the country by the Department of National Defence (DND), Engineering Branch.
The Athlone Building is a physical and symbolic landmark of Canada’s military presence in Calgary. It is sited at the west side of the historic Parade Square on the centreline axis with the ceremonial entrance gates. Formal landscaping, generous setbacks, layout of the pathways that interconnect the building to Parade Square, and the gentle curve of Breskens DR SW in front of the building, reinforce its preeminent function as a landmark building within Currie Barracks and Calgary.
Character-Defining Elements
Character-defining elements of the Athlone Building include, but are not limited to:
Exterior:
- Form, scale, and massing as expressed by its large, symmetrical two-storey, t-shaped floor plan; raised full basement; centralized projecting entry pavilion and twin end pavilions;
- moderately-pitched, wood shingled cottage style roof, with a hierarchy of a side-gabled roof with cornice return at the central projecting entry and hipped roof cornice ends at the remainder of the building; front-gabled end roof with cornice end on the west facing portion of the t; cornice mould and concrete frieze banding at the soffit line; and periodic grey painted decorative plaques below frieze banding;
- steel frame fireproof construction encased in hollow clay tile and clad in white, roughcast stucco; and cast-in-place concrete floors;
- projecting centralized main entrance with simplified georgian classical motifs, palladian window overtop with red and green coloured glass, a surround composed of stone pilasters, and returning eave pediment; glazed brass double front entry door; small one-storey, offset projected entryway with arched opening at the rear of the t; and two small projecting one-storey, raised, west facing front gabled-roof entrances;
- fenestration on all facades including: symmetrical, regular repeating pattern, green painted, steel sashes set in steel-frames, single-hung, six-over-six windows; and concrete plain lug sills;
- prominent siting of the building on the western edge of the parade square with the gentle curve of breskens drive sw; directly across, and on a centreline axis, with the historic ceremonial entry gates at the east side of parade square; and accented with a formal entry, side-accessed staircase on the central axis of the parade square; and
- a large front setback from parade square and spacious side yards; mature deciduous and coniferous trees, and shrubs frame the main building entrance.
Interior:
- Original layout including entrance foyer, and main- second- and lower-floor corridors with rooms on either side;
- central, formal entrance foyer with double return staircase; ornamental wrought iron balustrade with cast-iron newel posts; glazed brass double foyer entrance door; wooden modillions at the underside of the second-floor level; wooden decorative boxed beams at the underside of the second-floor level; and inlaid canadian military insignia (emblem of a crown above three branches of maple overlaid on a pair of crossed swords) in the terrazzo flooring;
- large interior assembly space with barrel-vaulted ceiling;
- terrazzo flooring throughout with coved base detail; and
- interior wood doors, combined wood, and glazing doors; door hardware; wood transoms above doors; and wood trim at doors and interior windows.
Location