Alberta Register of Historic Places

Canadian Pacific Railway Station

Paradise Valley

Other Names:

C. P. R. Station
C.P.R. Station
CPR Station
Paradise Valley Railway Station
Paradise Valley Train Station

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place
The Canadian Pacific Railway Station is a one-storey, wood frame building situated on 0.878 hectares in the Village of Paradise Valley. Constructed circa 1929, the station is a simple, small-scale building featuring horizontal wood siding and a cedar-shingled gable roof. The station sits adjacent to an Alberta Wheat Pool grain elevator which is not included in the designation.

Heritage Value
The heritage value of the Canadian Pacific Railway Station lies in its excellent representation of standard railway station architecture and in its symbolic value as an emblem of the central role of railways in opening the province to settlement and agriculture.

In 1929, the Canadian Pacific Railway completed work on a line between Marsden, Saskatchewan and Paradise Valley, Alberta. With the arrival of steel, the agricultural infrastructure of Paradise Valley boomed; at the height of its prosperity, the small community boasted six grain elevators. As Paradise Valley was a modestly populated settlement at the terminus of a branch line, the CPR opted to construct a very humble depot to serve the community. The station was built circa 1929 according to plan H-14-38A, a standardized design scheme for simple, portable stations that were erected in settlements requiring only basic - and possibly temporary - railway services. This modest wood frame building consisted of three small rooms - a waiting room, office, and agent's quarters - and was built by the CPR to facilitate grain and supplies handling. It was also used to coordinate mail and telegram services. In the early 1990s, the Canadian Pacific Railway ended all train service to Paradise Valley and the station was closed.

With the gradual disappearance of early train stations from Alberta's communities, buildings like the Paradise Valley Canadian Pacific Railway Station have gained increased historic significance as structural embodiments of the essential role that the railways played in establishing settlement and agricultural economy in the province. The station at Paradise Valley possesses particular value as a rare example of a small-scale, portable train depot.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 2247)

Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Canadian Pacific Railway Station include such features as:
- mass, form, and scale;
- horizontal wood drop siding painted brown;
- cedar-shingled gable roof and metal chimney stack;
- original floor plan;
- fenestration pattern and style, including single and paired multi-pane original windows;
- pattern of doors;
- original interior elements, including V-joint horizontal panelling, fir flooring, station agent's office, stove, and artifacts original to site.

Location

Street Address:
Community:	Paradise Valley
Boundaries:	Lot 1, Plan 9121942
Contributing Resources:	Buildings: 1

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD
4	2	47	6	13 (ptn.)

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
9121942		1

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
53.030136	-110.295523	Secondary Source	NAD83

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2008/09/30

Historical Information

Built:	1929 to 1929
Period of Significance:	1929 to 1985
Theme(s):	Developing Economies : Communications and Transportation Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life : Architecture and Design
Historic Function(s):	Transport - Rail : Station or Other Rail Facility Transport - Rail : Station or Other Rail Facility
Current Function(s):	Leisure : Historic or Interpretive Site
Architect:
Builder:
Context:

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-1344
Designation File:	DES 2247
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:	HS 47504
Website Link:
Data Source:	Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 2247)