We’re spending a quiet evening with Tuxedo Park School (North Calgary) simply wandering about and snapping a few photos. The faculty was built in two stages, 1920 and then expanded upon greatly in the 1956-7 before closing some years back. With the property currently in limbo, there’s uncertainty at every turn, but its historic value, at least in regards to the oldest wing, doesn’t seem to be in question.
Still, that’s not necessarily a guarantee of anything.
When built, the school was literally out in the county and at the very periphery of town. An aerial photo discovered, from later in the 1920s, shows it kept company with a few scattered homes and many vacant lots. The Tuxedo Park neighbourhood was established in the 1910s, when annexed by the city, but didn’t really take off until post World War Two.
Tuxedo Park School (1920 and 1956-7): vacant and with an questionable future. A little schooling with Chris Doering & Connie Biggart (BIGDoer/Synd)
Thanks to our own “Johanna (Connie) Biggart” for sponsoring this and numerous other posts at BIGDoer.com (this site is a money pit). Do the same…
The original wing was built as a bungalow school, a larger and more refined variation on the earlier cottage school theme. Both were modest in size and either could be easily converted into a residential apartment block should building a bigger replacement school be needed down the road. This did happen, but here, the building was kept and added onto instead.
School’s out @ Tuxedo Park.
Demand must have really taken off in the 1950s, as the new addition is many times that of the original. Prior to this, some homes occupied what is today the school grounds toward Centre Street. That boulevard divides the Northwest and Northeast quadrants of Calgary, incidentally, and the school on the NE side, but just.
Scroll down for additional photos and to comment.
A large park borders on the school’s north side but fenced off while work proceeded to turn it into a storm-water catch basin. It’ll remain a park, but with the lowering of the land, it’ll now be doing double duty. Don’t walk your dog there in a downpour! Given that park remained off limits, people were using the school grounds in that same capacity and it got quite busy at times.
Tuxedo Park Bungalow School became one of about ten constructed in the city and this along with many more earlier Cottage Schools (here’s one: Capitol Hill Cottage School). Examples of both can still be found in many older neighbourhoods and each built respectively, to a common family plan.
The Arts and Crafts architecture of the older wing contrasts with the utilitarian ’50s addition, but that’s how it goes. Architecture styles are always in flux and you sometimes get Franken-buildings as a result, when new sections are added. Here, the new and old are both of brick so it’s not that bad.
The newer section is two stories, except where it connects to the story and half bungalow section and there it’s single level.
Tuxedo Park School (bungalow section) is listed in the city’s inventory of evaluated historic resources but that’s a title only and carries no real weight. It’s noted that it retained many of its as-built features inside and said to be in reasonable shape and as such, the likelihood of this building surviving is better than the newer addition. Both sections are potentially for sale to the right suitor, with the city retaining right of first refusal from the Board of Education. There’s no current listing that we could find, but if you show up with a dump truck load of money, the CBE will listen.
The original coal chute doors remain in place, one on each side of the building and display the markings of their maker, Economy Foundry of Portage la Prairie Manitoba. The one in our photo has seen a lot of patchwork weld-repairs over the years.
Tuxedo Park functioned as an elementary school for its entire history before closing in 2003. For the next decade plus it served as an adult learning centre, but even that came to an end in 2014. It’s sat empty ever since but the building watched over and everything kept up.
Some folks have taken it upon themselves to decorate up the building and grounds with chalk art. It’s positive and uplifting stuff for the most part, but as is the norm these days, there’s some bordering on the political, plus the usual slacktivism signalling. Make of it what you will. On one side it’s the cause-du-jour and similarly scrawled in chalk, a response from someone taking exception: “What about the millions?” with flying dollar signs to drive home the point.
Yup, everyone’s polarized, the gap ever widening, the arguments endless and hate winning out over love by a huge margin. And the parking lot of Tuxedo Park School is the battle ground. Sigh…but enough of that.
It’s been closed for many years.
Comes a few more laps in the every fading light and we’re soon done. The clouds roll overhead and once in a while make a deep rumbling noise, but nothing comes of it. Chat with some dog walkers and pet a few friendly pooches and it’s time to go. Good night Tuxedo Park School.
If you wish more information on what’s seen here, don’t hesitate to: contact us!
Date of Adventure: April, 2022. Location(s): Calgary, Alberta. Article references and thanks: Calgary Heritage Initiative, Calgary Board of Education and City of Calgary.
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
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