Heritage Character Statement
An International Style Building Featuring; Expressed Fly Tower And Auditorium, Bowed Front Facade With Large Curtain Wall Glazing Sections, Projecting Canopy At Foyer, And Granite Faced Precast Concrete Wall Panels. The Building Is A Primary Symbol Of The City And Established The Dominant Character Of The Area.
Summary History
On September 1, 1955, Albertans Celebrated The Golden Jubilee Of Their Province, Which Had Been Created From Part Of The Northwest Territories In 1905. More Than A Year Before The Anniversary Date, On May 4, 1954, Premier Ernest C. Manning Announced Two Massive Provincial Government Projects To Commemorate The Occasion: The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium In Edmonton, And The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium In Calgary. Both Auditoria Follow An Identical Plan Developed By The Provincial Department Of Public Works. The General Contractors Were Burns And Dutton.
The Calgary Auditorium Was Built On A 26-Acre Portion Of The Provincial Institute Of Technology And Art Campus (Later Renamed Southern Alberta Institute Of Technology). This Hilltop Setting Provided A Spectacular Westward View From The Auditorium, But Also Gave The Building The High Visibility That Made It A Dominant Landmark And Symbol Of The City.
Construction Of The 2,700-Seat Auditorium Began In The Summer Of 1955, But A U.s.-Wide Steel Strike Helped Delay Its Completion Until 1957. Lieutenant-Governor J.j. Bowlen, Premier Manning And Mayor Don Mackay Comprised The Dedication Party At The Official Opening Ceremony On April 28, 1957.
The Hydraulic Pit Was Installed In 1964, And The Following Year The Sound System Was Improved To Help Amateur Performers Project Their Voices. The Basement Spaces Were Reconfigured In 1982 To Create The 250-Seat Dr. Betty Mitchell Theatre.
The First Major Alterations Took Place In 1979, Involving The Lobby, Washrooms, And A New Lobby Entrance. The Original Chandeliers Were Replaced At An Unknown Date, Possibly In The 1979 Renovation. The Building's Exterior Was Rehabilitated In A $2.4-Million Effort Completed In 1985. The City's Light Rail Transit System Was Extended To The Jubilee And Adjacent Alberta College Of Art And Design In 1987.
The Provincial Government Announced In 1997 That The Facility Would Be Upgraded In Advance Of The Provincial Centennial In 2005. Work On The Project Commenced In 2004.
Earn 10 points!
Photo: Image from dancaptickets.com (http://www.dancaptickets.com/files/image/southern_Alberta_Jubilee_Auditorium2.jpg)