Heritage Places

[constance_chlore]

I don't think we have a general thread for discussing heritage places (i.e. beyond just homes), so I'm starting one.

To start off, the CoE is soliciting feedback on their guiding principles of their in-progress Heritage Places Strategy here. The poll is pretty slight, but at the end you can sign up to be included in future engagement.

 

[archited]

Excellent move! I had already been signed up so I get these solicitations randomly and periodically throughout the year. I get the sense that the City really does pay attention to these surveys; I would encourage SRC mavens to join -- it is certainly one way to stay informed about City goings-on from the Administration's perspective.

 

[constance_chlore]

Mustard Seed Church

 

[constance_chlore]

Spruce Avenue School

 

[archited]

Evident from @constance_chlore photos there is plenty of land here to develop a new compatible structure and maintain the existing with a little creative insight.

 

[constance_chlore]

Evident from @constance_chlore photos there is plenty of land here to develop a new compatible structure and maintain the existing with a little creative insight.

There is tons of land. Yet the presentation shared by EPS says: "Demolition of the existing building is included in the project as green space is important for school and community."

 

[JNO1]

I called the number on the bottom of the project page on the EPSB website and left a message and someone actually did return my call - to my shock and surprise, Very nice lady but unfortunately she knew absolutely nothing about the project or what is happening to the existing school. She said she would pass my name and contact info on to someone in the "Projects" Group who would hopefully be able to answer my questions. We'll see if someone in the know actually calls me back.

 

[archited]

I haven't called yet... but will do so tomorrow.

 

[JNO1]

I had the good fortune last week of getting an up close and personal look at these little gems on the Whitemud Equine Center property, just south of Keillor Road.

 

[ADob]

Amazing how much more appealing this place is compared to the soulless beige blobs in the luxury real estate thread!

 

[David A]

There is tons of land. Yet the presentation shared by EPS says: "Demolition of the existing building is included in the project as green space is important for school and community."

What about preservation of the existing building? Have they considered maybe that is important to the community too?

 

[JNO1]

Virginia Park School from yesterday.

 

[ADob]

Anyone else deeply disturbed by the rocket taking out the moon's eye???

 

[constance_chlore]

Anyone else deeply disturbed by the rocket taking out the moon's eye???

That's from Georges Méliès's Le Voyage dans la lune:

 

[JNO1]

I called the number on the bottom of the project page on the EPSB website and left a message and someone actually did return my call - to my shock and surprise, Very nice lady but unfortunately she knew absolutely nothing about the project or what is happening to the existing school. She said she would pass my name and contact info on to someone in the "Projects" Group who would hopefully be able to answer my questions. We'll see if someone in the know actually calls me back.

Late Friday afternoon I got a call back from a gentleman from the Planning area at EPSB. Good guy. We had a fairly lengthy conversation about the Spruce Avenue School replacement project. All is not completely lost....yet. A summary:
- it is not a done deal that the original school is going to be torn down- the foundation is in very rough shape though so restoring the building may be difficult;
- they are several years away from having the new building completed (at the 30%ish engineering stage right now) and the existing building will not be closed until the new building is open so there is at least a year or two in which to stage an intervention;
- the project is with Alberta Infrastructure now and I will be speaking with the project manager when she returns from vacation.
Bottom line, there is hope that this little gem can be saved from the wrecking ball.