Save the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company!

Save the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company!

In the Inglewood neighbourhood of Calgary stands the Calgary Brewing and Malting Company buildings.This brewery, the first of its kind in Alberta, operated for over 100 years and was shut down in 1994.Now, it is threatened with demolition after the Alberta-based numbered company currently owning it applied for a permit in May of 2009.

The Calgary Brewing and Malting Company was established in 1892 by A.E. Cross.Cross was one of the "Big Four", cattlemen who are credited with founding the Calgary Stampede and heavily influencing the development of the nascent city.These included Patrick Burns, the builder of the Burns Meat Packing Plant, George Lane, former foreman of the Bar U Ranch and Liberal MLA and Archie McLean, manager of the CY Ranch and Liberal MLA.

From the start, the CBMC was progressive.In 1893, the now-familiar buffalo head and horseshoe design was rolled out on the bottles of the company's first beer.On April 10, 1910, CBMC started using natural gas via a well on the Walker estate which would eventually become the site for the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary.This year also saw it buy Golden West Brewery of Calgary.It continued buying brewing companies into the 1950s.

The buildings of the CBMC are of particular historical value for the architectural details and interior design.Some areas contain the original details of the late 1800s and early 1900s dcor.The threatened buildings the 1892 Brew House and Ale Cellars, 1903 Storage Cellars, 1905 Brew House and 1905 Racking Room Storage are among the most significant.

The CBMC buildings are falling into disrepair, necessitating a plan to repair the site so as to render the buildings both safe and useful.While new development that keeps this site preserved from further threats of damage would be a positive step, care must be taken to preserve the most valuable structures and design from permanent alteration that would obscure their unique features.

Calgary Heritage Authority, Calgary Heritage Initiative Society, the Community Heritage Roundtable and the Inglewood Community Association have banded together to campaign for the preservation of the CBMC buildings.They are moving to have the city of Calgary and the province of Alberta designate these structures as a Provincial Historic Resource.Supporters of the CBMC preservation are also moving to have the collective buildings

Unfortunately, as of August 2010, a Historic Resource Impact Assessment (ordered June 2009) has only been recently been put in motion.Nothing can be done until this is complete and the buildings of the CBMC continue to fall further into disrepair.

Explore these links for more information on the CBMC issue and what you can do to help:

Calgary Heritage Authority (City of Calgary)

Calgary.ca

Calgary Heritage Initiative Society

calgaryheritage.org

Calgary Heritage Roundtable

Email planning@calgarycommunities.com for more information on the next meeting and what's going on with the CBMC buildings at this time

Inglewood Community Association

icacalgary.com/

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