| Architect: James J. O'Gara (also designed
St. Mary's school, Lacombe Home and a section of Holy
Cross Hospital)
Original
cost: $14,304
Construction materials: locally quarried sandstone
Architectural style:
Referred to as
"boomtown Baroque", classical elements.
"The imposing classical facade with a central
pediment and pilasters and heavy cornice, actually stands
as a false front before a mansard - roofed
building..."
Historical highlights:
- built on Oblate
property in the Mission District where the first
Roman Catholic Cathedral, schools and convent
were erected. Lot was part of the original
homestead given to Father Lacombe in 1884.
- this three storey
(plus a basement) sandstone structure was erected
as a parish hall for the neighbouring St. Mary's
Roman Catholic Cathedral.
- hall was a focal
point for the community and played a role in the
development of Rouleauville.
- seated 500 people
and was used for concerts, recitals, and
theatrical performances. St. Mary's Boys School
held day classes in the basement (1907 -1910).
Newly arrived immigrants attended night classes
to learn English and mathematics.
- societies used the
facility for regular meetings; Calgary Operatic
Society, the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Society.
- Ukrainian Catholic
religious services and a Ukrainian reading room
were also accommodated in the hall.
- during the real
estate boom (August 1911) the church sold the
Parish Hall to Canadian Northern Railway for
$60,000. CNR reputedly purchased the Lindsay
estate for $125,000. The company planned to buy
up additional property and replace the hall with
a new rail terminus in a bid to compete with the
Canadian Pacific Railway. World War I and the
economic downturn ended this development scheme
and the existing structure was renovated for
station use.
- August 16, 1911
Ontario railway entrepeneur and president of
Canadian Northern, Sir William Mackenzie, came to
Calgary to look over prospects and spent
considerable time in the company of local
businessman, Pat Burns.
- parts of Avenues
formerly known as Spruce, Poplar and Pine were
closed by city by-law to accommodate tracks.
- by 1913 -
renovations included addition of wooden platform
and laying of required trackbed (11 tracks).
- first train arrived
in July 1913. First passenger train arrived 16
months later.
- converted to
Calgary terminus in 1916 - further
interior/exterior renovations. South - side
addition of brick express structure (in railway
architectural tradition) and wooden canopy
extending entire length of east side.
- by June 1919
Canadian National Railways assumed ownership of
terminal and line when the company incorporated
Canadian Northern.
- 1951 - south-side
express building extended.
- station well known
terminus for the Goose Lake Line (Calgary -
Drumheller - Rosetown - Saskatoon - Kamsack -
Dauphin - Portage - Winnipeg)
- station permanently
closed July 5, 1971 - last dayliner left for
Edmonton
- 1979 city acquired
the hall and additional property in the Lindsay
Park area.
- designated a
Provincial Historic Resource in February 1981.
- 1984 city's
proposal call for appropriate re-use was awarded
to the Calgary City Ballet.
- fire gutted
structure in August 1985 during renovations by
Calgary City Ballet
- major renovations
completed in 1987. Two large dance studios
constructed in the original Parish Hall and the
ballet's wardrobe department housed in the 1916
brick addition. Re-named the Nat Christie Centre.
- since 1991 home to
Alberta Ballet who co-ordinates rental of studio
space to community groups.
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