Key Number:	HS 10429
Site Name:	Red Deer C&E Station #2
Other Names:	Red Deer CPR Station
Site Type:	0803 - Transportation - Rail Facility: Station

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			38	27	4

Address:	5102 Ross Street
Number:	2
Street:	Ross
Avenue:	N/A
Other:
Town:	Red Deer
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular Long Facade
Storeys:	Storeys: 1 1/2
Foundation:
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Medium Hip
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Massing of Units: Single Detached Wings: Either Side Number of Bays - Facade: First or Ground Floor, 9 Bays or more Wall Design and Detail: None Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Fascia Roof Trim - Eaves: Plain Soffit Roof Trim Material - Eaves: Wood Roof Trim - Verges: Not Applicable Roof Trim Material - Verges: None Dormer Type: Hipped Gable Chimney Location - Side to Side: Offset Right Chimney Location - Front to Rear: Centre Chimney Stack Material: Brick Chimney Stack Massing: Single Window - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Lintel Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Material: Concrete Window - Sill Type: Continuous Sill Window - Sill Material: Stone Window - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Window - Number of Sashes: Two, Double Hung Window - Opening Mechanism: Fixed Window - Special Types: None Main Entrance - Location: Centre (Facade) Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Flat Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Plain Lintel Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Outside Structural Opening Material: Concrete Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Plain Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Head: Flat Transom, Single Light Main Entrance - Trim Within Structural Opening - Sides: Plain Main Entrance - Number of Panels Per Leaf: 1 Main Entrance - Leaves - Special Feature: Glass Main Stairs - Location and Design: None Main Stairs - Direction: None Main Porch - Type: None Main Porch - Special Features: None Main Porch - Material: None Main Porch - Height: None
Exterior:	It is a two-storey brick and stone building, with a single-storey freight shed extending from one end. Like many other CPR stations, this building features a typical large hip roof with flared eaves and wide brackets supporting the extreme overhang. It measures 132' x 33' with the long side oriented north and south. The street (east) facade is accented by a central octagonal turret flanked on each side by dormer windows, whereas the roof on the track side has three evenly-spaced dormers. The exterior of the building is cladded with red brick on a rusticated ashlar plinth. Carved sandstone corbels support the wooden eaves brackets, and also served as window and door lintels, as well as window sills in some places. The window treatment on this building has been consistent throughout, with the size and pattern quite uniform: a 6/2 single-hung type on the ground level and a 4/1 single-hung type for the upper floor. All doors and windows on the ground floor have a six-pane transom window above.
Interior:	Because this station was along a heavily-travelled line, the interior of the building has separate waiting rooms for men and women, washrooms for both sexes, baggage storage, offices and the freight shed on the main floor, and sleeping quarters for the agent and other railway wmployees on the upper level.
Environment:	Property Features: None Lot size - CPR Right-of-way. Though this building is no longer used as a realway station, and despite the removal of the railway tracks, the expansion of the modern roadways surrounding it, and the building of a major shopping development next to it, local residents still regard it as an important historic resource surviving in the city centre
Condition:	Good (1978) Building appears to be solidly built according to sound construction practices, and the original construction exhibits a high degree of workmanship and a good quality of materials. Building has had little use and does not appear to have been maintained over the last few years since the rail was relocated.
Alterations:	Apparent Alterations and/or Additions: Door Site: Original There have been no major alterations or additions to the exterior of the structure, apart from the roof covering which has been relaced with modern asphalt shingles, and some minor changes to all of the large door opening. All of the mortar jounts on the building have been painted black, which gives the building quite an unsightly appearance at close range. The interior of the building was completely done over many years ago: modern panelling was put over the original plaster walls; new partitions were added; some ceilings were lowered with a suspension ceiling system; and most of the floor coverings were changed. Despite of the changes, most of the original interior fabrics remain intact underneath and much of the original woodwork has been retained.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Started	1910/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Storage Field office of adjacent construction site Transportation - Rail Facility: Station Transportation - Rail Facility: Station	1910/01/01 1972/08/16
Owner:	Owner Date:
Suzanne Altwater Canadian Pacific Railways 422984 Alberta Ltd. (Westfair Foods)	1972/01/01 1993/01/01

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	- Second station on site, first was erected in 1891 - Is one of four stations built in this plan and is patterned after Lethbridge station CPR Plan CPRX-20b - Cost of construction $34,050, renovated in 1959 - Red Deer was officially designated a divisional point in 1908, and was western terminus of a feeder line from Moose Jaw. - Mr. Welton sub-contracted the plastering; Red Deer brick company supplied the bricks. Renovations to upper floor in 1913. * * * Historical / Archtectural Data: The Red Deer CPR Station, built in 1910, was patterned after the Lethbridge Station. The Red Deer Station was the Divisional Point Station for the Calgary-Edmonton line and terminus for the Moose Jaw line. It is one of four impressive major urban stations in Alberta, the others being Lethbridge, Strathcona and Medicine Hat. * * * Built in 1910, this is a typical railway station with no particular architectural style. Its design is believed to have been modified from one of the standard station plans prepared for the Canadian Pacific railway in the late 1800s. The C.P.R. made Red Deer a divisional point between Strathcona and Calgary in 1908, so there is a certain amount of elaboration in this building's design, to show its importance in the railway system. * * * Canadian Pacific Railway Station Ross Street and 51 Avenue The arrival of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway in the wintern of 1890 brought a host of changes to the fledgling frontier community of Red Deer. The most obvious of these was the physical relocation of the settlement from 'the Crossing' to the present site, five kilometres east. Lands north of Calgary were opened up for large-scale settlement. With its strategic location halfway between Calgary and Edmonton, Red Deer became the focal point for the distribution of supplies and services to new settlers. Business sprang up to meet the material needs of the burgeoning population. In 1907, Red Deer was designated the divisional point of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1891, a small wood frame station was constructed on this site. When it became apparent that a more substantial facility was needed to accommodate the growing population, the original was moved directly south to make way for the present structure. Designed by a Winnipeg-based C.P.R. architect and erected under the watchful eye of Winnipeg general contractor, the building was completed in 1910, at a cost of $34,050.00. An impressive building, the Red Deer station features a central polygonal tower with a conical roof. The projecting eaves of the long, low roofline are supported by large brackets. Sandstone lintels and sills complete the window detailing. Adjacent to the station was a large park, laid out by the C.P.R. in 1905. A water fountain, donated by Edward Michener, formed the focal point of the landscaping. The park served as a rest place for both traveller and local residents until its removal in 1960. The C.P.R. station has long been a dominant landmark at the west end of Ross Street. Following completion of the Calgary-Edmonton Railway in 1891, increasing numbers of settlers, salesmen and speculators arrived in Central Alberta. In response to this surge in traffic, a number of hotels sprang up adjacent to the C.PR.R. Station.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	1993/04/16

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0498