| Architect: Public Works architect A.M. Jeffers.
Contractor:
Built by day labour,
local sub contracts.
Original
cost: $150,000
Construction materials:
Sandstone from Calgary's
Bane and Leblanc quarry.
Architectural style:
Renaissance Revival.
Symmetrical plan, richly detailed exterior with fine
stone carving. Three storeys plus an attic storey.
"Features an elaborate front central section with a
broad flight of granite steps leading to a triple arched
entrance, above which are four freestanding giant order
columns with two engaged columns at either end.
Original interior
details:
Moulded plaster and
carved oak woodwork. An attic storey above the cornice
line, lit by five circular windows provided an apartment
for the janitor.
Historical highlights:
- January 1906 a
facility for teacher training was temporarily
established on the top floor of Central School.
- 1906 - city
purchased lot where the Normal School was
eventually built for $15,000
- historians claim
that the Normal School was built in Calgary as
compensation for Edmonton being named as
Provincial capital.
- construction for
Alberta's first Normal School (teacher training
school) began in September 1906. Cornerstone laid
by Premier Rutherford in June 1907.
- when the school
officially opened September 1908 there were two
instructors for 26 students. Teacher training
lasted four months.
- on completion the
Public Works Department declared it the largest
educational structure built to date in the
province.
- in 1922 teacher
education moved to Provincial Institute of
Technology.
- Calgary Normal
School re-named McDougall School in honour of the
Reverend John McDougall, an early Methodist
missionary who had come west with his father
George in 1860 and established a mission among
the Stony Indians by 1873.
- purchased by the
City of Calgary and until 1981 served as an
elementary school, school board offices,
community school offering school classes to
children and adults.
- declining enrolment
forced closure of school in 1981.
- City sold building
and land to the province for $20 million for use
as Government House South.
- September 10, 1982
declared a Provincial Historic Resource.
- $10 million
renovation/rehabilitation. Sandstone for exterior
restoration came from quarry on Bow River near
Lethbridge. Sandstone artisans were hired to
complete the restoration work. Previous
unsympathetic additions were removed. Interior
woodwork restored.
- City built $25
million underground parkade under eastern portion
of the park.
- September 8, 1987,
the Alberta Government Centre for Southern
Alberta was officially opened by Alberta's
Lieutenant - Governor.
|
Government House