Notice of Intention to Designate

Notice of Intention to Designate

The Wallbridge Residence as a Municipal Historic Resource

Recommendation:
That Executive Committee recommend to City Council:
  1. That a Notice of Intention to Designate a Municipal Historic Resource, as outlined in Attachment1 of the June 5, 2008, Planning and Development Department report 2008PDP119, be served to the owner of the property occupied by the Wallbridge Residence located at 12606-104 Avenue, in accordance with section26 of the Historical Resources Act.
  2. That the funding of $150,000 for this project be provided from the Heritage Reserve Fund.

Report Summary

The action recommended in this report initiates the process of designating a heritage building at the owner’s request as a Municipal Historic Resource in accordance with the AlbertaHistorical Resources Act.

Report

  • The Wallbridge Residence is on the “B” list of The Register of Historic Resources in Edmonton and merits designation under City Policy C450A - “A Policy to Encourage Designation and Rehabilitation of Municipal Historic Resources in Edmonton.” The property is currently owned by KnutVik and FrankCalder.
  • On April 24, 2008, the owners completed the application requirements to have the Wallbridge Residence designated as a Municipal Historic Resource under the provisions of City Policy C450A.
  • Any future restoration or development to the residence will meet the “Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada.”

Budget/Financial Implications

  • Upon completion of the project phases, as outlined in Attachment5, the owner will be paid up to $150,000 as a rehabilitation incentive from Internal Order # 103163- Heritage Reserve Fund.
  • This funding is based on an allocation of $37,500 per unit for the four units in the Wallbridge Residence.
  • The restoration project will be completed over a two to three-year period and funding will be phased through the project.
  • The total cost of the restoration project is $549,000.

Justification of Recommendation
  1. Issuance of a Notice of Intention to Designate and subsequent approval of the designation bylaw will give Administration the authority to ensure that the building is conserved and maintained in accordance with sound principles of conservation.
  1. Rehabilitation Incentive funds will be available from Internal Order #103163- Heritage Reserve Fund.

Attachments

  1. Notice of Intention to Designate the Wallbridge Residence as a Municipal Historic Resource
  2. Location of Wallbridge Residence located at 12606 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton
  3. Photograph of Wallbridge Residence
  4. Heritage Planner’s Summary of Historical and Architectural Information
  5. Description of City Funded Work on the Wallbridge Residence

Page 1 of 2

Attachment 1

Notice of Intention to Designate the Wallbridge Residence as a Municipal Historic Resource

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DESIGNATE THE WALLBRIDGE RESIDENCE AS A MUNICIPAL HISTORIC RESOURCE

HISTORIC RESOURCES ACT

Section 26 H.R.A., R.S.A. 1980, c.H-9, as amended

TO: KnutVik and FrankCalder

12606 - 104 Avenue

EdmontonAB T5N 0V7

Notice is hereby given that sixty (60) days from the date of service of this Notice, the Municipal Council of the City of Edmonton intends to pass a Bylaw that the site legally described as:

Plan 5939AH, Block 51, Lot Numbers A & B

Excepting thereout all mines and minerals

and located at 12606 - 104 Avenue and containing the original circa 1911 building known as the Wallbridge Residence located on the site be designated a Municipal Historic Resource under Section 26 of the Historical Resources Act, as amended from time to time.

AND TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT the Municipal Council of the City of Edmonton has appointed the General Manager of the Planning and Development Department to implement matters arising from the issuance of the Notice of Intention to Designate a Municipal Historic Resource.

Datedthisday of2008

______

General Manager

Planning and Development Department

Agent for the City of Edmonton

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The above Notice is addressed to the owner of, or person with a legal interest in, the resource named which the Municipal Council of the City of Edmonton (hereinafter referred to as The Council) intends to designate, by Bylaw, as a Municipal Historic Resource under Section 26 of the Historic Resources Act.

EFFECT OF NOTICE

This Notice of Intention protects the historic resource named in it for 120 days from the date it was served on you. During these 120 days NO PERSON MAY DESTROY, DISTURB, ALTER, RESTORE OR REPAIR A MUNICIPAL HISTORIC RESOURCE OR REMOVE ANY HISTORIC OBJECT FROM IT unless they have written approval of the Council or person appointed by the Council for the purpose.

The Council or the person appointed by the Council, in its absolute discretion, may refuse to grant an approval or may make the approval subject to such conditions, as they consider appropriate.

Although there is no right of appeal as such against designation as a Municipal Historic Resource, you are not precluded at any time from writing to the Council, claiming that the site should not or should cease to be designated. Such claim demonstrates that property to be designated is not of architectural or historical significance. The evidence provided to support the claim will be carefully considered.

You may also apply by originating the Notice to any judge of the Court of the Queen’s Bench for an Order shortening the 120 days of protection.

After 120 days the Notice cease to have any effect, unless the Council has revoked it sooner, or the court has shortened the period, or unless the Council has passed a Bylaw designating the resource permanently.

Page 1 of 2Report: 2008PDP119 Attachment 1

Attachment 2

Location of the Wallbridge Residence 12606 - 104 Avenue, Edmonton

Page 1 of 1Report: 2008PDP119 Attachment 2

Attachment 3

Photograph of the Wallbridge Residence

Page 1 of 1Report: 2008PDP119 Attachment 3

Attachment 4

Heritage Planner’s Summary of Architectural and Historical Information

Building Name and Address: Wallbridge Residence, 12606 - 104 Avenue

Register of Historic Resources in Edmonton- “B” List

Recommendation

The Wallbridge Residence is recommended for designation as Municipal Historic Resource because of its historical and architectural significance.

Architectural History

Style/Type

The Wallbridge Residence was built circa 1911 and is an example of an Eclectic style house with Craftsman and Edwardian influences. The building is two and one half storeys with a wood frame and roof structure.

Design

The Wallbridge Residence is an eclectic style house with Craftsman and Edwardian influences. It has a hipped roof with a hipped dormer and porch at the front with wood shingle cladding. The rear of the building features two shed dormers with stucco cladding on the upper storey and bevelled wood cladding on the lower storey. There are double front verandas across the south façade on both storeys. The verandas are separated by the main entrance and are supported by paired square columns typical of this style. Three of the four verandas are screened in. The building also features three chimneys, including an exposed brick chimney on the east veranda at the front of the house, and one exposed brick chimney on both the east and west elevations of the building. The chimneys are corbelled and constructed of red brick.

Construction

The building was constructed upon a poured concrete foundation and wood frame construction. The exterior cladding is wood shingle at the front and stucco and bevelled wood siding at the rear. It is likely the house was originally constructed as a single family dwelling circa 1911. It appears the house was later converted into a multi-family dwelling featuring four units. Each unit was accessible from inside the front staircase and had its own facilities including a bathroom and kitchen. Each unit also had its own private rear entrance from outside. The house has been used as a single family home for at least 20 years but could easily be reverted back to four units. After the renovations, the house was designed to have one unit on the main floor, two units on the second floor and one unit in the attic.

Cultural History

Historical Importance

The Walbridge Residence is historically significant for its association with the development of the grand homes in Groat Estates in the early 20th Century. When JamesCarruthers developed the Groat Estates area in 1905, he placed a caveat on the area ensuring that no house built would be worth less than $5000. The first residents of Groat Estates were prominent Edmontonians and this house was originally built for the Merchant’s Bank of Canada. AllanFraser, a bank manager, was the first resident of the house before the Merchant’s Bank of Canada was absorbed by the Bank of Montreal in the early 1900s.

The Bank later sold the house to JamesWallbridge who lived in the home with his wife from 1919 until his death in 1942. JamesEmberleyWallbridge was a prominent Edmonton lawyer with the firm Wallbridge, Cairns and Co. Wallbridge came to Edmonton from Ontario in 1902 where he graduated from Osgoode Hall with a law degree.

The most notable historical association with the Wallbridge Residence is the daughter of JamesWallbridge and his wife. JeanWallbridge was a well know female architect of the Modern Movement in Edmonton. Wallbridge was the third female architect registered in Alberta and worked extensively with partner MaryLouiseImrie. The two were pioneers in the areas of small spaces and multi-family dwellings in Edmonton during the Post WWII period. Some of Wallbridge’s notable projects include the Queen Mary Park Apartments and the Princess Elizabeth Avenue Apartments. It is speculated that Wallbridge was the architect behind the conversion of her parent’s house to a multi-family home after her father’s death in 1942.

After the conversion, which likely occurred in the early 1940s, the Wallbridge Residence became known as the Kildonan Apartment Block for a period of time and this name appeared in documents dated 1943. The first recorded residents of the apartments were five women including JamesWallbridge’s widow.

Context

Site

The Wallbridge Residence is located on two lots on the northwest corner of 104Avenue and 126Street in Groat Estates.

Neighbourhood

The house is located at the southern end of the Westmount neighbourhood in the Groat Estates area. Groat Estates overlooks the Groat Ravine which is part of the North SaskatchewanRiverValley and Ravine system. Groat Ravine and Estates are so named for their association with MalcolmGroat, a Scottish-born carriage maker and employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company who was granted title to the land in this area in the 1880s. Groat sold some of the land to JamesCarruthers in 1905 who subdivided the land, creating the areas of Glenora and Groat Estates.

Integrity

The overall integrity of the Wallbridge Residence is very high and the building includes the original clad and windows as well as a number of original interior details. The roof has been recovered with asphalt shingles but will be restored to its original cedar shingle roofing.

Page 1 of 3Report: 2008PDP119 Attachment 4

Attachment 5

Description of City Funded Work on the Wallbridge Residence

Phase / Description of City Funded Work / Amount Allocated
1. / Roof Repairs: Remove and dispose of asphalt shingles and install new cedar shingles. / $37, 000
2. / Windows: Remove and replace five slider windows on third floor with double hung wood frame windows. Repair and restore exterior window trim and replace where necessary. Remove, repair and clean storm window units. / $20,000
3. / Cladding: Repair and restore areas of existing shingle siding where possible. Replace wood rot boards supporting shingle wall finish as required. Replace shingles at front ground level south elevation.
Front Entry: Reconstruct front entry porch decking with 1x3, V-joint exterior wood plank flooring.
Exterior Stairs: Repair and restore exterior staircases where possible. Construct new railing systems on all stair units.
Veranda Stair Unit: Repair and reconstruct veranda stair unit complete with side wall returns at front of house. / $35,000
4. / Paint and Stain: Clean and pressure wash exterior to prep for painting. Paint all exterior surfaces of the house including all exterior windows/storm windows and doors. Stain all required areas including front entry porch. / $26,000
5. / Trim and Doors: Repair and restore trim (baseboards, mouldings) and wood doors throughout the house.
Interior Painting: Paint all wood trim, doors and built-in cabinets(dining room and living room). / $15,000
6. / Flooring: Uncover and restore hardwood floors throughout the house. / $17,000

Page 1 of 1Report: 2008PDP119 Attachment 5