A Time to Remember…
In Alberta, August 4 is Heritage Day, and it is a time to reflect on why it’s so important to remember.
Killarney-Glengarry began in 1906 and was annexed by the City of Calgary in 1910. They were heady days, the huge economic boom that had started at the turn of the century was over by 1913 as the world prepared for WWI.
The beautiful homes built in the early1900s remain to this day and remind us of those days, both wonderful and bittersweet. Two homes in Glengarry (near 17 Ave and 26 St) still stand side by side on 26 St. You can see with your own eyes the luxury of the first decade, from 1900 to 1913, beside the more modest homes, of the second decade from 1913 to 1923, built in 1917.
Their very presence reminds all of us how important it is to remember our history and the effects of the changing economics. In Killarney-Glengarry, we have dozens of pre and post WWII homes that reflect Calgary’s early suburban growth. These homes preserve the stories of returning veterans who built community roots after WWII, laying a foundation for today’s neighbourhood character.
And here we are again as we watch a cultural change in the architectural shift in the community.
So many more immigrants are choosing Canada as a safe and welcoming place to live and to raise their children.
Since 2014, Calgary has grown by 393,000 people, an astonishing 28.3% growth rate. In 2024, our population was 1,688,000 from immigration and interprovincial migration and therefore we are witnessing this architectural shift to duplexes or four-unit homes on one lot that used to house a single-family home.
The City of Calgary tells us that we need to build 41,858 new homes between October 2023 to 2026 for the projected growth of 100,000 people in the next four years. Ouch! Given that it takes about a year to build a new four-unit building.
Adaptation isn’t easy but we’ve discovered that we have more wonderful neighbours on our alley than we had before. It adds richness to the number of children who play together. We watch kids make fast friends now, something that didn’t happen in the old days when friendships were usually formed at school.
We love these kids in the alley; it adds a sense of community and gives us a glimpse of the future yet to come.
The real conversation that we need to have is how to honour and conserve our heritage that never lets us forget our past, for fear of repeating past follies with accommodating and honouring our new reality. It isn’t just nostalgia—it’s community identity, architectural beauty, urban sustainability, and smart planning; it’s also the wisdom of elders as well as newcomers that bring fresh air and new ideas.
Joey Stewart built a Heritage Home in Killarney and understands the value of remembering.
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