Key Number:	HS 22050
Site Name:	Mewata Armoury
Other Names:	Calgary Drill Hall Mewata Drill Hall
Site Type:	1405 - Military: Armoury or Drill Hall

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			23	1	5

Address:	801 - 11 Street SW
Number:	1
Street:	11 SW
Avenue:	8 SW
Other:
Town:	Calgary
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 2
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Stone
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	High Gable
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster Wall Design and Detail: Crenellated Parapet Wall Design and Detail: Stepped Parapet Towers, Steeples and Domes: Tower
Exterior:	Sandstone trim, original appearance, 4 identical battlemented towers at each corner and a larger tower over each entrance. Two storey structure surrounding gable, with crenellated parapet, engaged pilasters and sandstone turrets, four square corner towers, round on top portion parapet, four smaller, six sided towers, 2 central towers at east entrance joined by parapeted arched walkway, stepped parapet at north and south gable peaks.
Interior:	Large central drill hall with surrounding offices and storage space. Office and storage areas are much altered.
Environment:	2.17 acres. Near downtown Calgary, on land adjacent to that of City Planetarium. Surrounded by commercial area.
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 27 AUG 1978. Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 10 MAY 1980. Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 18 JAN 1980.
Alterations:	Interior has been greatly altered.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Construction Contract Let Opened	1916/09/29 1918/09/24
Usage:	Usage Date:
Admistrative, Storage and training facility for Militia Armoury	1917/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
City of Calgary	1916/03/20

Architect:	Federal Government
Builder:	A. Creelman
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	- 1901 - The city first acquired the land on which the armouries sits from a tract set aside for public reserve in 1885. - Until the war, the question of an armouries appeared only periodically in city. - In 1911 - the city considered building it near the old isolation hosp. business at 12th Avenue and 6th Street SE. - The city was offering the site free in the hopes of attracting favourable attention. - In 1913, R.B. Bennett and Col. Hughes were touring the Mewata site and recommended its location. - The Drill Hall was not begun until 1917. - Originally, it was intended for militia use, but for some years was occupied by a squadron of the Lord Strathcona Horse. - The Armouries is also associated with Calgary's social life, due to its size - In 1934 it was the scene of the verbal confrontation between William Aberhart and Mator Douglas, founder of the Social Credit Party. - In 1927, there was a banquet for the Prince of Wales. - Numerous sporting activities have also been held here. * * * Military Users: Southern Alberta Light Horse, 19th Alberta Dragoons, King's Own Calgary Regiment, Calgary Highlanders, Communication Reserve, District HQ and various cadets. World War I and World War II. One of the oldest standing Armouries in Alberta. One of two of this design (other one is Prince of Wales Armoury, Edmonton) in Alberta. Similar to Armouries in other large Canadian cities. * * * Large rectangular building with towers. Constructed 1916-1917 on site donated by City of Calgary which was originally to be used for park, park to be called Mewata Park. Armoury took over name. Mewata Indian word meaning 'to be happy'. Armoury originally proposed in 1913, was not until 1916 that it was finally begun. While designed for Militia use, Armoury used right after WWI (1920) to house Regular Unit, Lord Stratchcona's Horse, until 1925 when unit moved to Currie Barracks. Mewata centre for armed forces recruiting throughout WWI in Southern Alberta played important social role in Calgary both before and after WWII as only building with large amount of enclosed floor space. Until 1939, area to south of Armoury, between Armoury and 9th Avenue, taken up with horse lines of Cavalry Reg'ts. Armouries still serves, in addition to Militia, Cadet and Private and Armed Forces affiliated organizations. * * * Heritage Significance: The heritage significance of this structure derives from its association with the Dominion Government's efforts to provide training facilities for Canada's armed forces in the period after 1900. It was one of two armouries built in the Province which was designed specifically to serve the needs of infantry regiments. Its design and construction materials reflect a policy to provide permanent facilities for the long term administration and training of Canada's armed forces rather than to meet a specific military emergency. The City first acquired the land on which the armouries sits in 1901 from a tract set aside for public reserve in 1885. Until the war, the question appeared only periodically in City. In 1911 - the City considered building it near the old isolation hospital. Business at 12 avenue and 6 street, S.E. The city was offering the site free in the hopes of attracting favourable attention. In 1913, R.B. Bennet and Col. Hughes were touring the Mewata site and recommended its location. The drill hall was not begun until 1917. Originally, it was intended for Militia use, but for some years was occupied by a squadron of the Lord Strathcona horse. The Armouries is also associated with Calgary's social life, due to is size. In 1934 it was the scene of the verbal confrontation between William Aberhart and Major Douglas, founder of the Social Credit Party. In 1927, there was a banquet for the Prince of Wales. Numerous sporting activities have also been held here. * * * Notes from conversation with Chief Caretaker Lou. Benninson(?), during tour of Mewata Armoury, Calgary, 8th Avenue 11th Street, 23 June 1977. Structure as originally built had 117 rooms many of which have since combined to form larger rooms and offices. Construction of the Armory was begun in 1916 though the foundations had been laid the year before. Construction was held up by the lack of bricks. Two brick factories, one in Redcliff and one in Montgomery, were built, apparently for the specific purpose of providing bricks for the Armory. Current rifle range in the east side basement was originally part of a swimming pool which has been filled in. Rooms along the west wall of the basement currently by the Cadet units for meeting rooms were originally cells and guardrooms. They were altered after the regular forces were moved from the Armory to the new base at Currie Barracks. Until 1939 the area to the south of the Armoury bordering on 9th Avenue was taken up with horse stables and horse lines used by the various Cav. units that have served at the Armoury incl. Fort Gary Horse South Alberta Light Horse Lord Strathcona's Horse Armoury has four identical battlemented towers, one at each corner and a larger tower over the main (east side) entrance. Rooms in the entrance tower as well as others in the east wall are used by the band and the Bandmaster as they have been since the Armouries were opened. Sergeant's Mess in north end, Officers Mess in south end, both on second floor. Both are similar in lay out but differ greatly in decoration. Library in northwest corner tower. Units which have been based at Mewata Armoury: Southern Alberta Light Horse 19th Alberta Dragoons King's Own Calgary Reg't (Calgary Reg't [Tank]) Calgary Highlanders (10th Batt. C.E.F., WWI). * * * Report of the Chief Architect, 1917, Alberta Calgary drill hall: A contract was entered into on September 29, 1916, for the erection of this building, the size over all being 275 feet by 170 feet, and consists of two stories and basement, with corner pavilion and centre pavilion three storey high, and constructed of brick, faced externally with red pressed brick with cut sandstone trimmings. The basement walls are faced externally with stone from ground to plinth. Repairs and improvements were executed at the following places: Bassano, Edmonton, Edson, Entwistle, Lethbridge, Strathcona, Wetaskiwin. * * List of Contracts Let in the same volume reports that the contract for the construction of the Calgary Drill Hall was awarded to A.G. Greelman Co. at a cost of $282,051.00. * * * Interior has been greatly altered, but exterior has retained its original appearance. Plaque status: Plaqued in 1991 Outstanding, large-scale, World War I urban armoury, 1917-18. Administered by National Defence.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Municipal A List Provincial Historic Resource Federally Designated	1979/02/11 1989/01/01

Register:	03-109

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0460