CALGARY – High River residents are speaking out to save a historic property, the Wallace Residence, badly damaged in the 2013 floods.
“It always struck me as one of the more attractive homes in High River,” said resident Bill Holmes, who once lived in the historic home.
“The third floor—I had a playroom, and my sisters had their tea parties and I had my wind up train up there,” he said.
“It was kind of a neat place for sure.”
The residence is facing the threat of demolition. The Municipal District of Foothills owns the home which was built in 1906 and recently used as an office space. A complete remediation of the home is estimated to cost nearly $1 million; the less expensive option is to demolish it and turn it into a temporary parking lot.
“What do we want our community to look like down the road? Do we really want to lose all sense of identity?” asked Kyle Jantzen, from the High River Heritage Advisory Board. “History of a community is what gives it a sense of place … Makes it unique, not just another cookie cutter community.”
The M.D. of Foothills could sell the property to the town, but the mayor wants to be sure it makes sense financially.
“I think it’s important to keep them because once they’re gone they’re gone,” said High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass. “But you’ve got to be careful they don’t become a money pit, pouring hundreds of thousands into these places.”
One resident started a Facebook page to try to save the building, calling it a “huge piece of High River’s history, a history that is slowly being demolished.”
“I think quite frankly…it’s a healing act to try and save a house,” said Jantzen. “It can be saved, it’s got a lot of potential.”
Foothills officials declined to comment, except to say the demolition will be delayed to give the town 45 days to come up with alternative plans.
With files from Erika Tucker
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