Demolition looms for vintage service station (Eamons Thread)

[Admin]

Latest updates September 2012, on page 3 of this thread...
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http://www.calgaryherald.com/Historic+s ... story.html

By Richard Cuthbertson, Calgary Herald January 16, 2012

CALGARY — In its heyday, the bright lights could be seen for 20 kilometres. And though its glory years have long past, Eamon’s Bungalow Camp remains a landmark on Crowchild Trail.

But now one of Calgary’s last historic service stations faces an uncertain future as the city is buying the land to build a park-and-ride lot for the future LRT station serving Rocky Ridge, Royal Oak and Tuscany.

While the city does have plans to save, restore and reinstall the iconic Eamon’s Camp sign, heritage advocates fear the adjacent mid-century building will be demolished.



Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Historic+s ... z1kHh80m1X


(maps.google.com image)

[newsposter]

Calgarians have many fond memories of Eamon's Camp
By Mary Buchanan, Calgary Herald January 20, 2012
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Calga ... z1ldti0hr7


Herald Editorial: Historic northwest Calgary service station should be part of LRT parking plan

Calgary Herald
January 23, 2012
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/ed ... z1ldsQcwpZ

[00fxd]

Shame. Very cool landmark ....

[LauraGrace]

Corey Hart urges heritage lovers to never surrender Calgary service station: LRT project planned for Eamon’s Camp site.

Article by Sherri Zickefoose, Calgary Herald, March 12, 2012

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Corey+Hart ... z1oueJDQI6


CALGARY — An unexpected voice is pleading with Calgary to preserve one of the city’s last historic service stations: Canadian rocker Corey Hart.

Plans to build an LRT station and parking lots where the iconic Eamon’s Bungalow Camp stands along Crowchild Trail has struck a chord with heritage lovers, and also 1980s heartthrob Hart, who filmed a music video on the spot.


Eamon’s Camp shared the spotlight in Hart’s 1986 music video I Am By Your Side, which was filmed in Calgary, Jasper and Drumheller.


“I recall the Eamon’s gas station scenes very well,” Hart said when the Herald reached him in Barcelona. “One day, I want to return with my four kids showing them where dad drove his first Harley-Davidson from.”


Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Corey+Hart ... z1oueJDQI6
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The music video in question can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlOQgeR-ek

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Edited due to full content posted, please only post a portion + link. - Admin

[sgtrock]

Hello everybody!!.....my name is mike and i think it's a complete travesty that something so unique and with so much history is gonna be ripped down for all things.........a parking lot!!!!!!!.....really????.....really?????......i am looking to open a mechanic shop this year and i would LOVE to re-do and restore that iconic building to its original glory! that building would make a great little business again as im sure it was then. If anyone out there thinks they can help or has info on this continuing travesty please let me know....thnx.....SAVE EAMONS!!!!!!!!

[Admin]

[Admin]

Stills from the above-mentioned Corey Hart video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlOQgeR-ek

[Carolyn Ryder]

http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/blogs/c ... 2137#p2137

[newsposter]

Herald Editorial: Pumped up over Eamon’s

March 13 (print edition), 2012

Canadian rocker Corey Hart has added his voice to the chorus calling for the saving of Eamon’s Camp, a Calgary gas station from the 1950s. The city should stand by Hart’s side and restore this rare gem, designed by an architect who worked for the forerunner to Texaco Canada. The station on Crowchild Trail is a symbol of Calgary’s oil and gas heritage.

Hart filmed part of his I Am By Your Side video at Eamon’s back in the ’80s. The dusty summer scene shows Hart walking into the gas station and buying a Harley-Davidson from the mechanic. He rides away into the big Alberta sunset.

Now, the sun seems to be setting on Eamon’s, with the city planning to build LRT parking there for a future station.

Thanks to public pressure, planners are reviewing their decision to see if the mid-century garage can be saved. Of course it can and must be saved. The cost should be unremarkable in the big budget of an LRT station.

The lack of effort to incorporate such a powerful relic of Calgary’s petro history into a future transportation project is disappointing.

“They must not ever tear it down,” Hart told the Herald. “One can never replace such iconic relics.”

Hart’s video depicts Eamon’s as a bustling Prairie stopping place, as it might have appeared in its heyday. City planners should use their imagination to salvage, save and restore Eamon’s to that former glory. And as Hart has famously sung and is now urging, Calgarians should Never Surrender when it comes to preserving this heritage site.

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Link to web:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/Ed ... story.html

[newsposter]

Arab: Step on the gas and save historic Eamon’s

Calgary Herald
By Paula Arab
March 14, 2012

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Arab+ ... z1qFa3dmZT

[newsposter]

Some letters to the Editor in reaction to the Herald editorial and Paula Arab column:

Paving paradise
By Bruce Miller, Calgary Herald March 15, 2012

Re: "Canadian rocker speaks up for iconic Eamon's," March 12.

Thank you, Corey Hart. Eamon's Camp needs to preserve its history. Ea-mon's is indeed a rare icon of the immediate postwar era. Half as old as Calgary itself, it's rich in memories and a strong link to our past. In the inner city, Calgary has rightly and richly maintained and renewed Mission, Kensington, Inglewood, Marda Loop, etc. In northwest Calgary, Eamon's is it - one place, one chance! Let's hope Joni Mitchell isn't prophetic about how "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot." Let's keep this little isle of Eamon's Eden on the map, now and for future generations.

Bruce Miller, Calgary
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Paving+par ... z1qFajIQzW

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Going, going, gone

John Vickers, Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, March 17, 2012
Re: "Step on the gas and save historic Eamon's," Paula Arab, Opinion, March 15.

It is encouraging to see the Calgary Herald's continuing recommendation to preserve Eamon's gas station building and sign. This is a very important cause to fight for considering the sad fate of another beautiful mid-century modern building only blocks from my home.

Fire Station Number 5 in Marda Loop, constructed in the mid-1950s, is scheduled for demolition once the new fire station adjacent to it is completed. Plans are to save the original sign (sounds familiar) and a few bricks, but the rest of the building will be demolished. The vacant space will allow fire trucks better access to and from the new fire station.

It is too late to save the old fire station, but there is still time for the city to come to their senses and save an excellent example of this rare type of architecture.

John Vickers, Calgary
© Calgary Herald 2012

Here is a link to the Fire Station No. 5 thread: http://www.calgaryheritage.org/CHIForum/vi ... =1145#1145

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Rally round


H.M.J. Nijssen, Calgary Herald
Published: Sunday, March 18, 2012
Re: "Pumped up over Eamon's," Editorial, March 14.

Thank you for an excellent editorial that says it all. I thank Corey Hart for standing up to promote the preservation of this 1950s era example of our colourful oil and gas heritage on Crowchild Trail. City planners and council, do your utmost to save and restore this heritage site.

H.M.J. Nijssen, Calgary
© Calgary Herald 2012

[newsposter]

Great little story and photo of Eamon's Camp by George Webber in the March 23, 2012 Swerve:

http://swervecalgary.com/2012/03/23/eam ... trail-n-w/

[newsposter]

From a email received by CHI on March 13, 2012. Posted here with permission.


Eamon's should be saved an refurbished to resemble what is was in
it's "prime". After the drive in diner burnt down in the early '50's
Mr Eamon built a nice restaurant with white linen tableclothes and
hung Aboriginal Art work by Gerda Christofferson and had a lovely view
of the Rockies. My Grandfather would take the family out after dinner
for a coffee and pie in the 1950's just for the ambience.. the art
work reminded him of his days surveying in the Yukon and he loved the
Rocky Mountains dearly which is where his ashes were scatterd in
1957.

It was even a fine dining place where my Mother accepted a marriage
proposal from my father.

Personal history aside let's think serouisly about saving a piece of
Calgary's history.....just abit of effort can give true meaning to
Nostalgia something we can all relate to.

- a friend of Eamon's Camp

[newsposter]

April 19, 2012 Heritage Roundtable on Eamons Camp

The heritage roundtable is hosting a session about the history, significance and future of Eamon's Bungalow Camp and Gas Station on April 19, 2012. The 1951 Eamon's Camp on 1A (Crowchild) in NW Calgary is a rare remaining example of mid-century car culture architecture that may soon be demolished or, more hopefully, incorporated into plans for the site of a new LRT station. This roundtable is a presentation and panel about Eamon's, with special guest Bob Everett, a former owner of the site who knew the original owner, Roy Eamon. (We'll post more information on the program will be added as it becomes available.)

The heritage roundtables are popular events and as always there will be of time to network and chat over refreshments. April 19, 2012 at the fabulous new Ralph Klein Park facility, 12350 84 St. S.E., south of Glenmore Trail on 84th Street. Doors at 6:30, event begins 7 pm and runs to about 9 pm.

Register here: http://www.calgarycommunities.com/events.php (Look for Roundtables - Heritage Roundtable Eamons Camp in the drop-down menu)

Our main thread on Eamon's Camp:
http://www.calgaryheritage.org/CHIForum/vi ... =3085#3085

About Ralph Klein Park and Facility:
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/ ... -Park.aspx

[newsposter]

Eamon's camp blog posting from Calgary Public Library: http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/blogs/c ... ory?p=2137