2021 Heritage Calgary Awards

Historic City Hall, City of Calgary
2021 Heritage Calgary Award: Special Recognition

So much more than meets the eye, historic city hall has been standing watch over Calgary for more than 100 years. The rehabilitation of City Hall was the most significant and complex heritage conservation project ever undertaken by the City of Calgary.

Ready to learn a little more? We spoke with Darrel Bell, Director of Facility Management at the City of Calgary.

HC: Tell us a little bit about your project.

Darrel: Built between 1907 and 1911, historic city hall is one of the city’s most familiar landmarks. It is a municipal, provincial and federal heritage resource, and in 2016, we started extensive restoration efforts to help the building last for the next 100 years.

The work included site and landscaping rehabilitation, grade repairs and drainage improvements; rehabilitation of the masonry envelope including entrances and balconies; roofing replacement of both low slope roof and tiled steep slope system; rehabilitation of the cupola and skylight, window frames and glazing, door frames and doors, and ornamental stone and metalwork.

We replaced 1542 pieces of sandstone, equaling 13,050 tonnes that was sourced from around the world.

HC: What’s your background in this area?

Darrel:  I manage historic buildings on behalf of the city, taking a proactive approach to heritage conservation. I have had an opportunity to work on a number of projects, including Rouleau House, Holy Angels School, Fire Hall 6, and the Centennial Planetarium.

HC: What inspired you to do this work?

Darrel: The overall deterioration of the building over the years was substantial. The city of Calgary is committed to taking care of its buildings, and as a relatively young city, this building is an important historic landmark. We wanted to protect, rehabilitate and renew the building to last for at least 100 more years.

HC: Why is sharing stories about heritage important to you?

Darrel: Heritage is part of our city’s history. Our historic city hall actually has its own website, with some great stories to share. This building is part of the fabric of our city, and a symbol of what we wanted our city to become.

HC: What’s something specific you would like people to know about your work?

Darrel: The work completed provides a safer environment, while also taking the modern considerations of universal accessibility in mind. We were able to use this project as a heritage apprenticeship training grounds for traditional trades such as masonry and stonemasons. We engaged a heritage architect who consulted with locals and worked with trades to teach them along the way. We know have those trades more readily available in our own city to work on these types of projects.

HC: What’s something people might be surprised to know or learn about your project?

Darrel: When we started, the clock tower was leaning slightly away from the building, as there was no steel in the tower. We inserted  a steel skeleton, and it’s straight again. The clock itself is called a Seth Thomas clock. Only 50 were ever manufactured, and only 5 remain working, and this is the only remaining working one in North America. It is a grate time piece, and accurate to one second a week – we are so lucky to have it!

HC: Describe what “heritage”means to you in one word.

Darrel: Knowledge. It opens a window of knowledge for future generations.   

The Heritage Calgary Awards recognize the diverse heritage of our shared home. Every second year we honour those who have made efforts to identify, preserve, and promote heritage in Calgary to help enrich our communities.