Sacred Heart Convent

On June 25, 2021 the Heritage Calgary board approved the following site to be updated to the Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources.

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Sacred Heart Convent – 225 19 Avenue SW (Mission) Year Built: 1893-94 (original part); 1924 (south and east wings)

Evaluated as a City-Wide Historic Resource

Sacred Heart Convent possesses institutional value for its association with the Order of the Fideles Compagnes de Jésus (Faithful Companions of Jesus, FCJs) who in 1885 established the first francophone and Catholic education systems in southern Alberta and the first Separate School in the Territories, and for 135 years have provided education and outreach services. (Institution Value, City Wide Significance)

The convent is valued as a rare example of the Second Empire Style in Calgary with a substantial and highly sensitive 1924 addition by architect William Stanley Bates (1872-49), RIBA. (Style Value, City Wide Significance)

As part of an assembly of buildings with French and Roman Catholic roots located at the heart of the Mission district, the convent symbolizes the Oblate Fathers' (Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI) vision to create a Franco-Catholic enclave on the southern plains of western Canada, the Notre Dame de la Paix (Our Lady of Peace) Mission. (Symbolic Value, City Wide Significance)

The convent also possesses person value for its association with Mother Mary Greene (1843-1933) who played a pivotal role in establishing Southern Alberta’s first Catholic education district and also served as its first superintendent. She was also the Mother Superior of the convent, and resided there for four decades. (Person Value, City Wide Significance)

The 1893-94 stone convent building is also valued as a rare early solid sandstone building which displays high quality stone masonry and one of several early solid-sandstone historic resources in the city that were built by Thomas Underwood. The sandstone front wall on the 1924 east wing is also rare for the period when it was constructed, when stone was mainly employed for trim and detailing. (Construction Value, City Wide Significance)

With the significant size of the grounds and the convent’s distinctive Second Empire style and prominent façade on 19th Avenue, it is a landmark in the community. (Landmark Value, Community Significance)

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