Old Catholic School Centre sold to BVC

Status of new or continuing risks to heritage sites

Moderator: newsposter

Old Catholic School Centre sold to BVC

Postby newsposter » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:49 pm

Updated July 9, 2011... see bottom post
-------------------------------------------------

The old Catholic School Building, most recently occupied by the Workers Compensation Board, at 300 6th Avenue SE, is for sale by the Calgary Catholic School District as a redevelopment site (via Colliers international) according to newspaper ads in the first week of January 2011. The 1968 building is on the heritage inventory, and includes thousands of plaques that were done by Catholic school students for the 1975 Calgary centennial, attached to facades and on an obelisk. We are rapidly losing our small stock of brutalist-style buildings (the CBE HQ across the street, an excellent example, will also soon be vacated and be put up for sale, presumably). As for the centennial obelisk and plaques, are there any plans to preserve or relocate them?

(Yours truly did one of those plaques and was a representative of Sacred Heart School at the grand unveiling; I was in grade 3 and as I recall I was allowed to walk all the way from the school in Sunalta to the "east end" of downtown by myself for the dedication ceremony. Hard to imagine today!)
Last edited by newsposter on Sat Jul 09, 2011 4:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby rcuthbertson » Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:24 pm

Hi:
My name is Richard Cuthbertson and I'm a reporter with the Calgary Herald. I'd be interested in speaking with you about the Catholic School District building.
My number is 403-470-7827.
Cheers
Richard
rcuthbertson
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:26 am

Postby newsposter » Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:29 am

We'll be giving you a call soon. Thanks.
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:14 pm

'Brutalist' old Catholic school board building may have heritage value
By Richard Cuthbertson, Calgary Herald March 15, 2011

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/B ... z1GtxaMlw9
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:30 am

More stuff about those brutalist school HQ buildings and other brutalist structures in Calgary. Below is a video related to the above article, including interview with Scott Jolliffe, on Herald's own video site and Youtube:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/videos/ind ... 1841803263
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXHiVrqHwCE


Should city keep 'Brutal' part of our past?
Editorial Calgary Herald March 21, 2011

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it would be easy to conclude the former Calgary Catholic School District headquarters should be bulldozed. The heritage value of a building, though, is more than its sense of physical attractiveness, which, like fashion, changes over the decades...

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Should+cit ... z1HFxG2AqE
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:42 pm

A couple of letters to the editor on the threat to the old brutalist Catholic school board building:

The big 5-0
By Leslie Dorsett, Calgary Herald March 22, 2011 Re: "Should city keep 'Brutal' part of our past?" Editorial, March 21.
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/The+big+5- ... z1HdrmnzUv

Colour this 'Brutal' world brighter
By David L. Neill, Calgary Herald March 23, 2011 Re: "Should city keep 'Brutal' part of our past?" Editorial, March 20.
Yes, paint it...
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Col ... story.html
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Sat Jul 09, 2011 4:05 pm

The brutalist former Catholic School Centre (later WCB) has been sold to Bow Valley College. It looks like demolition is not imminent....

Bow Valley mulls options for building

By David Parker, For the Calgary Herald July 8, 2011

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainm ... z1ReUyEkVg
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Wed Aug 10, 2011 9:13 am

Catholic school board sells former headquarters for $13.7M

Calgary Herald August 10, 2011

The Calgary Catholic School District gained an extra $13.7 million to spend on buildings and maintenance after the sale of its former downtown headquarters. The district sold its old building at 300 6th Ave. S.E. to Bow Valley College this week. The almost 40-yearold building, which sits at the north end of the college, will be used to expand the college...

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Catholic+s ... z1UdwRQESC

The plaque-covered obelisk is to be moved to a new location TBA. No word on the plaques that are attached to the building itself. The plaques were made by schoolchildren as part of 1975 Calgary Centennial celebrations.
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Postby newsposter » Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:55 pm

The plaque-covered obelisk at the former Catholic school headquarters (see above) is being moved to St. Monica's school in Mission, at the corner of 2nd Street and 18th Avenue SW. It is covered in plaques made by Catholic school students for the 1975 Calgary centennial. The obelisk is part of the history of the old HQ site, and from that POV the move is unfortunate. Nevertheless, the new location, at a school in Calgary's Catholic "heartland", near the Cathedral, seems very appropriate. The plaques remaining on the old HQ building itself are not detachable without some demolition happening. We haven't heard that the new owners, Bow Valley College, have any such immediate plans.
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am

Re: Old Catholic School Centre sold to BVC

Postby MsDemeaner » Tue May 27, 2014 9:31 am

I have concerns about the plaques not on the obelisk; will they be discarded? (I am one of those anonomous artists) I see there is a Contractor's sign on the site now, does that mean demolition is coming? This is public are with a history and should be preserved. Looking to the future, similiar projects could be designed with thoughts on how the art could be preserved if the building were to be demolished.
MsDemeaner
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue May 27, 2014 9:04 am

Re: Old Catholic School Centre sold to BVC

Postby newsposter » Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:09 am

I am one of those artists as well, but not sure where my plaque is... The building is being refurbished not torn down. Don't know specifically about the plaques. Why not give BVC a call, here is there public relations number: Marketing & Communications, 403-827-7537
newsposter
 
Posts: 1964
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 11:13 am


Return to Heritage Watch

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 40 guests