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The city’s heritage team describes the white barn as a “rare and significant resource” that reflects similar livery stables from Calgary’s pre-First World War development boom.
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The Stewart Livery Stable and its ties to Calgary’s history will stand protected for years to come, thanks to a decision by city councillors.
The 114-year-old barn in Inglewood has been added to Calgary’s list of historic municipal resources, after council unanimously approved the designation on Tuesday.
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“There are not a lot of livery stables left in Western Canada that speak to this era, and Inglewood has two,” said Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra.
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Carra said the barns help tell the early 20th-century history of Calgary’s original neighbourhood.
Ryan Doherty, the owner of developer Pen Lake Ventures that bought the heritage property in 2022, called the designation “a significant step” in conserving the century-old building. The status will protect the site from future demolition or any modifications that would affect its heritage integrity.
“I think today means a whole lot for the community of Inglewood, the residents that surround this site and the businesses that call the area home,” he said.
“It’s a jewel in the community crown for most folks who have called that community home for some time.”
‘Unique feature to the city’
Built in 1909 at 806 14th Street S.E., the Stewart Livery Stable was originally used by ranchers and travellers passing through Calgary to keep, feed or clean their horses while they conducted business in the city.
As ownership of the property changed hands multiple times over the decades, the site was later used for other purposes up until and after the Second World War, including storage for a fleet of mail trucks.
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Despite its prime location near both 9th Avenue S.E. and downtown Calgary, the stable was spared amid redevelopment of the area. The property was added to the city’s inventory of historic assets in 1993.
In its report to council, the city’s heritage team described the white barn as a “rare and significant resource” that reflects similar livery stables from Calgary’s pre-First World War development boom.
Its design and construction are also significant, according to the heritage team’s report, as the stable included “plank framing,” which allowed for a more open central section.
Doherty said the process of acquiring the property began three years ago and has involved collaboration with the city’s heritage team, as well as area residents and the Inglewood Community Association.
“A livery barn of this shape and form in such an urban setting is not only a unique feature to the city of Calgary but, frankly, when we looked across the province, it was unique in that regard,” he said.
Barn will be incorporated into multi-residential development
While the stable will remain conserved for years to come, changes are in store for the site.
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Pen Lake Ventures is in the midst of developing seven townhouses adjacent to the stable, which will be used as garage bays for residents’ vehicles.
The barn’s upper hayloft, meanwhile, will provide a work-live space for tenants.
Construction of the townhouse complex is already underway, Doherty noted, with occupancy of the units potentially coming in the summer of 2024.
“When built, it will create a micro-community of 15 residents who will call Inglewood home,” he said. “Part of that is the barn, of course, with seven townhomes and seven secondary suites.”
To further protect the stable and bring it up to code, Doherty said the property’s foundation was dug up and poured with concrete earlier this summer. To do this, he said, the barn had to be moved 75 feet while work was being conducted.
“That allowed us to properly excavate and put in proper footings below the frost line, and then move the barn back,” he said. “That was a detailed process, by which we had support from a number of experienced trades.”
The Stewart Livery Barn is Calgary’s 131st historic municipal resource, according to the heritage team.
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