Strathcona Public Building facts for kids
The Strathcona Public Building is a historic building in Edmonton, Alberta. It's also known as the Old Strathcona Post Office. This special building is located in the Old Strathcona heritage district. After being carefully restored, it opened to the public in September 1988 as part of Strathcona Square, a lively market area.
Quick facts for kids Strathcona Public Building |
|
|---|---|
Strathcona Public Building, 2010
|
|
| Former names | South Edmonton Post Office |
| General information | |
| Type | Former: Post office Current: Restaurant/pub/pool hall |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Address | 10519 82 Avenue NW Edmonton, Alberta T6E 2A3 |
| Coordinates | 53°31′4.4″N 113°30′2.9″W / 53.517889°N 113.500806°W |
| Current tenants | Billiard Club, Chianti Cafe, Squires Pub |
| Construction started | 1911 |
| Completed | 1913 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | David Ewart |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | 5 square blocks |
| Architectural style(s) | Romanesque revival, Edwardian |
| Governing body | Clarion Hospitality Group |
| Provincial Historic Area | 1988 |
Contents
Building History
The Strathcona Public Building was built between 1911 and 1913. This was a time when many new buildings were going up in the Edmonton area. It was also when the city of Strathcona, Alberta joined with Edmonton.
Original Design and Use
The building was designed by David Ewart. He was the main architect for the Canadian government's public works department. He used a style called Edwardian Classical. This style was different from the older, more common Romanesque style. The building has neat brick and limestone finishes.
When it first opened, the building was a post office. It also housed other federal government offices. For many years, its clock tower was the second tallest structure on the south side of Edmonton. Only the grain terminal was taller.
Becoming a Historic Site
Old Strathcona is a five-block area on 82 Avenue (Whyte Avenue) in south Edmonton. It is about two miles from the University of Alberta. The Old Strathcona Post Office was the first big restoration project in this historic area.
In 1977, the Canadian government stopped using the Old Strathcona Post Office. The building was empty for a while. On February 12, 1985, it was officially listed as a Grade A Provincial Historic Resource in Alberta. This means it's a very important historical site. In January 1986, the City of Edmonton bought the building for just $1.00.
The building looks a lot like the former post office in Regina. That building was also designed by David Ewart.
Restoring the Building
The City of Edmonton sold the building for $1.00 to the Clarion Hospitality Group. This group was owned by Albert and Irene Hansen. Jim Edwards, a Member of Parliament, helped get $400,000 in government money for the restoration.
Planning the Restoration
Albert and Barrie Hansen got a $2.0 million loan from the Province of Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB). Clarion first wanted to turn the building into three restaurants or pubs. However, the bank manager wanted it to be a retail market instead.
Albert Hansen, who was the president of Clarion, decided to make the Old Strathcona Post Office a top-notch restoration project. The project involved some clever and costly engineering work.
Building Changes and Upgrades
- The building originally had a small crawl space under it.
- Clarion dug out this crawl space to create a lower level.
- They added a sidewalk-level atrium facing Whyte Avenue. This brought natural light into the new lower level.
- This lower level became an exclusive food market.
- A second floor was added to the south side of the building.
- A new three-story building with a glass elevator was added to the west side.
These changes increased the usable space in the building by about 60%. The design work was done by Chandler, Kasian Kennedy Architects. Engineering for the structure, mechanics, and electricity was done by Stanley Engineering (now Stantec).
The restored building opened to the public on Labour Day weekend in September 1988.
What's Inside Today
As of 2010[update] the building has several businesses inside.
- The top floor is The Billiard Club, which is a pool hall.
- The middle floor has been home to Chianti Cafe since the early 1990s. This restaurant serves Italian food.
- The basement floor has Squires Pub, which is a lounge and nightclub.
When the building first opened, it had different shops. These included Eric's Framing, Silver Treasures, and Toys Galore. Chianti Café took over one of the spaces a few months later. It became very popular and now takes up most of the ground floor.
The clock and its parts, made by Midland Clockworks in the UK, had not worked since 1977. Clarion sent the clock parts to Smith of Derby in England to be fixed. Now, the clock parts are on the second floor of the building. They are enclosed in glass, so visitors can see how the clock works. This makes it a unique attraction.
The restoration of the Old Strathcona Post Office helped start the renewal of the entire Old Strathcona area. Today, Old Strathcona is one of the most enjoyable places to live in Edmonton.
