Key Number:	HS 16563
Site Name:	Calgary Legion #1
Other Names:
Site Type:	0208 - Social and Recreational: Legion Hall

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	116 - 7 Avenue SE
Number:	16
Street:	1 SE
Avenue:	7 SE
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Flat
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Window - Trim Outside Structural Opening - Head: Keystone Main Entrance - Structural Opening Shape: Semi-Circular
Exterior:	Centre keystones, bricked-in basement windows, westerly windows replaced, semi-circular ground floor entrance, 3 flagpoles.
Interior:	A large hall 73' x 78' rose two storeys in height and heavy steel trusses were installed over this area enabling the large hall to be free of pillars. In 1961 alteration made to the inside of the building included extending the floor space of the second storey right across the hall and so creating two large areas for recreational club rooms.
Environment:	Faces south, three trees in front. Calgary (Alberta No. 1) Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is situated on the north side of 7th Avenue just east of Centre Street. It stands on three city lots and covers the entire area. The building is 75' wide and 130' deep, is a two-storey structure with a raised basement. 7th Avenue is now reserved for public transportation vehicles only and the Light Rails Transit runs in front of the building, although there is no station in this particular block. There is a vacant lot on one side of the building and a hotel, with which there is a Party Wall Agreement, on the other. Behind the building is a parking lot and across the street all the buildings have been torn down and the area is presently being used for parking (1983).
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Unknown. 1 FEB 1982 The two storey brick and sandstone structure is 60 years old. It is in good structural condition and has been well maintained over the years.
Alterations:	1961 - great hall enlarged. Date unknown - balcony above front entrance removed, and window bricked in and replaced by smaller window. It has undergone minor exterior changes and extensive internal alterations and upgrading.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Memorial Hall	1922/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Legion Hall	1922/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
City of Calgary	1922/06/29

Architect:	Burrel & Basevi
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	The building was built as a Memorial Hall dedicated to those who fought in the Great War. The City leased the land for a 99 year period at a rent of $1.00 a year and money for the construction came from the Province of Alberta and public subscription. It served both as offices and club rooms for the Calgary Branch of the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada and accommodation in the form of a large hall and committee rooms for community use. In 1916 a group of returned soldiers in Calgary banded the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada when the group formed in 1917. The branch grew rapidly and in 1919 and 1920 led the country in an unsuccessful bid for a bonus to help ex-soldiers re-establish themselves in civilian life. When most of the veterans' groups in Canada unified into the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League this became the Calgary (Alberta No. 1) Branch of that association. The Prince of Wales turned the first sod, 9 SEP 1919. He later revisited as the Duke of Windor. * * * Historical Significance: This building was built as a Memorial Hall dedicated to those who fought in the Great War. The City leased the land for a 99 year period at a rent of $1 a year and money for the construction came from the Province of Alberta and public subscription. It served both as offices and club rooms for the Calgary Branch of the Great War Veterans' Association of Canada and accommodation in the form of a large hall and committee rooms for community use. In 1916 a group of returned soldiers in Calgary banded together for mutual help and support and became the Calgary Branch of the Great War Veteran's Association of Canada when that group formed in 1917. The branch grew rapidly and in 1919 and 1920 led the country in an unsuccessful bid for a bonus to help ex-slodiers re-establish themselves in civilian life. When most of the veteran's groups in Canada unified into the Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League this became the Calgary (Alberta No.1) Branch of that association. Architectural Significance: The building is a two-storey structure, with a raised basement, and is in the Georgian style of architecture. It is constructed of brick and concrete and trimmed with smooth local sandstone. The Georgian symmetry is achieved by a central double arched effect in sandstone, flanked by three bays of windows on each side. The windows on the second storey are rectangular, while those on the main floor are surmounted by semi-circular sandstone segments with some decorative features superimposed on them. Originally the central section of the second storey was a balcony which has been filled in and replaced by a window. This is the only major change to the front of the building in its 60 years of existence. Inside a large hall 73' x 78' rose two storeys in height and heavy steel trusses were installed over this area enabling the large hall to be free of pillars. In 1961 alterations made to the inside of the building included extending the floor space of the second storey right across the hall and so creating two large areas for recreational club rooms. Draft Release Edmonton, Alberta Mary J. LeMessurier, Minister of Culture announced today that the Royal Canadian Legion Calgary Branch building has been deisgnated a Provincial Historic Resource. This building located at 116 - 7th Avenue SE was offically opened on September 6, 1922. It was constructed as a Memorial Hall dedicated to those who fought in the Great War. In 1916 a group of returned servicemen in Calgary banded together for mutual help and in 1917 formed the Calgary branch of the new Great War Veteran's Assocaition of Canada. The branch grew rapidly and its efforts on behalf of war veterans in the aftermath of the War inluded strong support for a future national campaign to assist re-establishment in civilian life by means of such measures as federal bonuses. After most of the veteran's group in Canada united in the New Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League, this became the Calgary (Alberta No.1) Branch in 1927. This two storey structure is constructed of brick and concrete and trimmed with smooth local sandstone. The front facade features a central double arch in sandstone and windows on the ground floor which are topped by semi-circular sandstone segments. It serves as a solid reminder of Canada's participation in World War One and the great national campaign to come to grips with the needs of hundreds of thousands of returning Candian servicemen.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	1983/11/11

Register:	N/A

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0555