Alberta Register of Historic Places

Stables Building, Currie Barracks

Calgary

Other Names:

Stables Building (D4), Currie Barracks

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place
The Stables Building (D4) is a single storey building in a K-shaped plan with steel structure encased in hollow clay tile. The building’s rough-faced, white stucco façade consists of four symmetrical wings marked by hipped, cottage-style shingle roofs and multiple paned windows with operable multi-paned metal casement windows. Each wing ends in a set of large, full height double doors. The building’s south-facing rusticated entrance is framed by a central arched entry with gable end cornice returns. The building is situated directly southwest of the Parade Square buildings at Currie Barracks.

Heritage Value
The Stable Building is significant due to its association with Currie Barracks, the construction of which anchored the presence of permanent military forces in Calgary. In addition, the Stables Building is also significant for its association with the largest public works program in Alberta during the Great Depression.
The construction of Currie Barracks represented a critical turning point in Alberta’s military history. The base was originally built to house the ‘B’ Squadron of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadian) regiment, one of the few regiments perpetuated after World War One as part of Canada’s permanent active military forces. The decision to build Currie Barracks in Calgary thus reflected the government’s commitment to stationing permanent forces in Alberta and providing them with modern training facilities. Completed in 1936, the Stables Building was one of the first structures built at Currie Barracks. The stables were built to accommodate the horses of “B” Squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), which had been incorporated into Canada’s permanent forces after the Great War and tasked with training recruits for cavalry service in the militia. The building’s striking ‘K’-shaped configuration provided for the accommodation of up to one hundred horses (twenty-five in each of the four wings), while the building’s high ceiling, fenestration, and sturdy concrete and brick construction were designed to maximize light, air flow and sanitation. The Stables Building served the needs of “B” Squadron and their cavalry school from 1936 through 1939; the outbreak of World War Two, however, transformed Currie Barracks into a major training centre, and the building was converted into much-needed accommodation space for new infantry recruits. The fact that it was used as a horse stable for only a short period of time, however, does not detract from the building’s overall significance. Currie Barracks was designed to be a modern, self-contained military facility that anchored the presence of permanent military forces in Calgary, and the presence of the Stables Building stands as a clear symbol of the continued importance of cavalry in Canadian military planning in the mid-1930s.
The Stables Building is further significant due to its association with the largest Depression-era public works program in Alberta. Currie Barracks was financed through the Public Works Construction Act (1934) and provided much-needed jobs for hundreds of Albertans (and in particular, Great War veterans) during the worst years of the Great Depression. The decision to build the base in Calgary reflected in part the personal influence of Prime Minister Richard Bennett (whose home riding was Calgary West), but also signified a recognition of the growing status of Alberta as a full partner in Canadian Confederation.
Source: Alberta Culture and Tourism, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des 2327)

Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the Stables Building include:
- the building’s K-shaped plan and symmetrical massing:
- the simplified classicism of the details, such as the rusticated formal entry with cornice returns, and regular repeating pattern of the windows;
- white, rough-faced stucco finish;
- cottage style wood shingle, hipped roof;
- high ceilings and original operable fenestration; andoriginal large, sliding doors at the interior of the east and southeast wings.

Location

Street Address:	2566 Flanders Avenue SW
Community:	Calgary
Boundaries:	Lot 1, Block 14, Plan 1612317
Contributing Resources:	Building

ATS Legal Description:

Mer	Rge	Twp	Sec	LSD

PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):

Plan	Block	Lot	Parcel
1612317	14	1

Latitude/Longitude:

Latitude	Longitude	CDT	Datum Type
51.0170417	-114.1224194444		WGS 84

UTM Reference:

Northing	Easting	Zone	CDT	Datum Type

Recognition

Recognition Authority:	Province of Alberta
Designation Status:	Provincial Historic Resource
Date of Designation:	2016/07/20

Historical Information

Built:	1936 to 1936
Period of Significance:	1936 to 1997
Theme(s):	Governing Canada : Military and Defence
Historic Function(s):
Current Function(s):
Architect:
Builder:
Context:

Additional Information

Object Number:	4665-1390
Designation File:	DES 2327
Related Listing(s):
Heritage Survey File:
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. 2327)