𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐲 – 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬 - 𝟖𝟐𝟕 𝟕 𝐀𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐖 1975 was the year of Calgary’s centennial. The city had grown from a small Metis settlement and fort established to create a federal presence in the area, to a sprawling city with little under half a million people. It was clear cause for celebration. In 1973, the City established an agency to coordinate all official celebrations. One of its goals was to create 100 additional acres of parkland in time for the centennial celebrations. Several parks were developed thanks to this initiative, which is featured today. Century Gardens is a rare Brutalist park with strong association with Eric Harvie, a local oil baron and philanthropist. Harvie was the owner of several oil wells, including Leduc No. 1, which ushered in the postwar oil boom in Calgary. He also established the Devonian Foundation and Devonian Group of Charitable Organizations in 1956, which provided funding for development of the Devonian Gardens and Century Gardens. Century Gardens has been a good example of Brutalism, a style rare in landscape architecture. The park has heavily-massed concrete sculptures and water features, which is intended to create an abstraction of nature. The park has undergone significant renovations and modernization in recent years, with more contemporary elements added onto the concrete structures. Learn more about Century Gardens and other Brutalist buildings in Calgary through our blog: heritagecalgary.ca/heritage-calgary-blog/brutalblog (fb)

𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – 𝟐𝟑𝟎 𝟐𝟗 𝐀𝐯𝐞 𝐍𝐖 Tuxedo Park was one of many subdivisions created during the Pre-World War One boom. It was served by streetcars from the outset, which helped working class Calgarians that quickly called Tuxedo Park home after it was established in 1911. Canadian Estates Co. Ltd. Subdivided and promoted the community and convinced the City to support it with streetcars and waterworks access in exchange for a park with a bandstand and gardens at the street rail’s terminus. In 1911, no one lived in the area, but by 1912 300 families lived there, with a two-room cottage school, post office, churches and shops. The Parker Residence was built ca. 1913 two blocks north from the streetcar terminus. It is unclear whether the house was built by real estate speculators or by the first owner-occupant, Richard Parker and his wife Lavinia. The home is a rare extant example of Edwardian Cottage style architecture and was likely built from a plan pattern book. Aside from the stucco finish on the exterior, the house has a high degree of integrity, with a rectangular plan, hipped roof with bellcast eaves and a front porch. The simplicity and minimal ornamentation of the home is representative of the working-class background of Tuxedo Park. Learn more about the Parker Residence and other sites on the Inventory here: heritagecalgary.ca/explore-inventory (fb)