Garland Residence designated a Municipal Historic Resource

Lacombe City council designated the building known as the Garland Residence (5204 - 53rd St.) as a Municipal Historic Resource under the Province of Alberta Historical Resources Act. "The Garland Residence is significant to our community's history," Mayor Grant Creasey said.

"This designation ensures the building will remain protected in our community for future generations to enjoy. I want to thank the current owner of the residence and the Heritage Resources Committee (HRC) for their commitment to preserving the legacy of this building."

The Garland Residence is valued as a symbol of the stately residences built during Lacombe's major economic boom from 1905 to 1913, according to a release.

"It is an elegant, eclectic one-half-story front gabled residence with a bell-cast roof line, various shingle types, and a full-width porch. The residence is on a corner lot on 53rd St. and 52nd Ave. in a residential neighbourhood west of downtown Lacombe."

After visiting the building earlier this year, the HRC supported the application for municipal historic designation. The committee voted unanimously to recommend support of the designation Bylaw.

"With the designation of the Garland residence, Lacombe's list of Municipal Historic Resources now counts 15,” said Myles Chykerda of the committee.

“This is a remarkable milestone that gives us one of the highest, if not the highest, per capita counts of protected historic properties in all of Alberta. We are leaders in recognizing and remembering a rich past that is woven into not only commercial buildings but also residences, landscapes, monuments, and so much more.

"It is thanks to their owners, who have invested significant resources in maintenance and restoration, that they will remain a part of Lacombe's fabric for years to come."

Meanwhile, council has also designated the building known as the McLear Block and Annex (5006-5010 50th Ave.) as a Municipal Historic Resource.

"The McLear Block and Annex is a great addition to our City's Heritage Preservation Program," Mayor Creasey said. "This designation ensures the building will maintain its importance to our community's history in the future. Thank you to the current owners of the residence and the Heritage Resources Committee (HRC) for their diligent work towards preserving the legacy of this building."

The McLear Block is a one-storey building with pressed red brick cladding and a central triangular pediment connected to buildings of similar style and age along 50 Ave. in downtown Lacombe.

The building is a small one-storey annex attached to the west of the main McLear building.

Both buildings display storefronts with full-height glazing and brick corbelling. "The designation of the McLear Block creates a remarkable contiguous linear collection of downtown properties with full municipal designation,” explained Chykerda.

“Only a few years ago, this building and its unique side annex were looking worse for wear and clearly needed significant structural work. Fortunately, its new owner was determined to revitalize it when demolition was the easier and cheaper option. The results of their carefully planned restoration work are superb, both on the exterior and the interior."

Other local buildings/structures that been designated as Municipal Historic Resources include St. Andrew's United Church (2013), the Lacombe Blacksmith Shop (2015), the Young Residence (2016), the Urquhart/ Kanngiesser Building (2016), the Michener House (2016), and the Lacombe Cenotaph in Lest We Forget Park (2016).

Rounding out that list are the Fraser MacDonald Building (2017), the Flatiron Building (2021), the Trimble Residence (2022), the Denike Block (2023), and the Campbell Block (2023).

For more on the City's Heritage Preservation Program, visit https://www.lacombe.ca/242/Heritage-Preservation-Program.