EDMONTON- Some Edmontonians are worried about the future of one of Old Strathcona’s oldest homes.
The Arthur Davies Residence, located at 10606- 84 Avenue, was built in 1905. Davies served as Strathcona’s mayor in 1905 and again in 1911, and played an instrumental role in bringing together the Cities of Strathcona and Edmonton.
The large brick Queen Anne style residence was recently sold, at a price tag of just over $1.1 million. The house will change hands later this month and residents are concerned the new owner may tear it down.
“I am passionate about old houses. I am passionate about Old Strathcona,” said concerned resident Kathleen Hunter. “If (the house goes) it’ll take a lot of the old out of Old Strathcona.”
Hunter says she doesn’t know what the new owner is planning to do with the home, but says if it is torn down, it will be a major architectural loss for our city.
“This house holds our story of what it meant to be an Edmontonian back at the turn of the century,” she explained. “I would suggest that there’s very few contemporary condo developments that would ever equal the grandeur of this home.”
The reason Hunter and many other citizens are so concerned is because although the Arthur Davies Residence has been identified by the city as worthy of historical designation, it is not officially protected. And the land the house sits on is zoned for up to four storey apartment housing.
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“I don’t have an application on file to ask for a demolition. There’s no request for demolition at this time,” explained Robert Geldart, principal heritage planner with the City of Edmonton.
Private owners are encouraged to protect and preserve properties like this one. The city has the right, however, to place historical designation on the property against the owner’s wishes. But Geldart says it’s a move the city rarely makes.
“If the city were to designate against their wishes, the owner’s wishes that is, then the owner could request for compensation based on future value,” Geldart explained. “Simply because we are required to compensate according to the Alberta Historic Resources Act.”
However, Geldart says if the new owner decides to redevelop the property, there are options that could save the house.
“We would allow for the building to be moved over to one side to give more room to allow an addition and to get the density increased by allowing more units.”
But Hunter believes more needs to be done. She is encouraging residents to contact the mayor and the area’s city councillor, in hopes of saving the Arthur Davies Residence.
“It represents a visionary. A man built this house and had a vision for Edmonton,” she said. “Peterborough, Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, London, they established trusts, they protect, they’re passionate about these old places. There’s a solution in Edmonton for this.”
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News.
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