Historic City Hall restoration project completed after three years of work

It’s been a long three years, but Calgary’s Historic City Hall has finally been unveiled.

A ceremony was held on Tuesday morning at the 109-year-old building to celebrate the completion of its restoration.

• See also:
  • Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance applications open next week
  • 50% of small businesses can’t pay June rent without more government help: CFIB
  • 16 things to do in Calgary this week while physical distancing

A release from the City of Calgary states that the $34.1 million restoration project has ensured that the building will stand for another 100 years.

Historic City Hall in 1920 (Glenbow Archives)

“The comprehensive scope of work we’ve completed will provide improved safety, prolong the building’s life and preserve its extraordinary heritage value,”stated Darrel Bell, acting director of Facility Management, in the release.

“The rehabilitation of Historic City Hall created 233 full-time jobs over the last four years. The work it’s provided for professions such as stonemasons, carpenters, electricians, construction managers and many others has been significant.”

Historic City Hall (City of Calgary)

Of the 15,522 sandstone pieces that make up the exterior of the building, 15,142 have received heritage treatment, while another 2,400 new sandstone blocks were used to replace those that were too far-gone.

Sandstone blocks (City of Calgary)

Now that it has been reopened, Historic City Hall will continue its work as a place for Calgary’s civic government and as a meeting place for public gatherings and demonstrations.

The building initially took four years to construct from 1907 to 1911, and was the location of Calgary’s Armistice celebration, during which time Calgarians were wearing masks to protect themselves from the Spanish Flu.

Armistice celebration (Glenbow Archives)