St. Mary's Parish Hall facts for kids
The St. Mary's Parish Hall is a very old and important sandstone building in the Mission District of Calgary. It was built in 1905. At first, it was used as a Roman Catholic parish hall, which is like a community center for a church. But in 1913, it got a new job! It was changed to become a railway station for the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). During this time, it was known as the Calgary Southwest Railway Station.
Later, another railway company, the Canadian National Railway (CN), took over the station and kept using it until 1971. Because of its long history, the building was named a Provincial Historic Resource of Alberta in 1981. This means it's a special place that Alberta wants to protect. In 1985, a fire badly damaged the inside of the building, but it was carefully fixed up and restored in 1987.
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St. Mary's Parish Hall: A Calgary Landmark
St. Mary's Parish Hall is a really old and interesting building in Calgary. It's made of sandstone, a type of rock, and has been around for over 100 years! It's located in an area of Calgary called the Mission District. This building has seen many changes over the years, starting as a church hall and then becoming a busy train station.
What Was a Parish Hall For?
When St. Mary's Parish Hall was built in 1905, its main purpose was to be a "parish hall." A parish hall is a building that belongs to a church, in this case, a Roman Catholic church. It's often used for different community activities, meetings, events, and gatherings for the people who belong to that church. Think of it like a community center, but connected to a church.
From Church Hall to Train Station
One of the most interesting things about St. Mary's Parish Hall is how it changed its job! In 1913, just eight years after it was built, the building was given a new purpose. This is called "adaptive reuse," which means taking an old building and changing it to fit a new need. The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) decided to use the hall as a railway station. It was then called the Calgary Southwest Railway Station.
A New Life as a Railway Hub
For many years, St. Mary's Parish Hall served as a busy train station. The Canadian Northern Railway used it to help people travel and move goods. Later, another big railway company, the Canadian National Railway (CN), took over the operations. The building continued to be a railway station for CN until 1971. Imagine all the people who passed through its doors, waiting for trains to take them to new places!
Becoming a Provincial Historic Site
Because of its long and varied history, St. Mary's Parish Hall was recognized as a very important building. In 1981, it was officially named a Provincial Historic Resource of Alberta. This special title means the building has historical value and is protected by the province. It's a way to make sure that important old buildings are kept safe for future generations to learn from and enjoy.
Fire and Restoration
Like many old buildings, St. Mary's Parish Hall faced a challenge. In 1985, a fire broke out and caused a lot of damage to the inside of the building. It was a serious setback, but thankfully, the building was not lost forever. In 1987, after a lot of hard work, the hall was carefully restored. This means it was repaired and brought back to its original look and feel, showing its strength and importance to Calgary's history.
