#Manulife Place by Clifford Lawrie Bolton Ritchie Architects

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Edmonton, AB (No. 5)

The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is a three-storey Tyndall stone and black granite commercial building occupying an entire block-face on Jasper Avenue in downtown Edmonton.

HERITAGE VALUE

The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is significant because of its association with the Hudson's Bay Company (H.B.C.), which played an essential role in the early development of Edmonton. Having been established as an H.B.C. fort, Edmonton's growth was integrally linked to the growth of the company. The 1939 building's large size reflected the company's later retail growth and its strong presence in the city's downtown until the store was closed in 1984. The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is also significant because it is a rare and excellent surviving example of the Moderne style of architecture in Edmonton. Founded on smooth, clean and simple lines, the style paid tribute to the emerging machine age, which reflected optimism for the future. The design of the store was meant not only to herald in the new age of technology, but also to ride the wave of success associated with the new style and the economic recovery of the late 1930s and 1940s which fostered it. The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is also significant for its association with the Winnipeg architectural firm of Moody and Moore, formed in 1936, which was among the first western Canadian firms to introduce the International Style to the Prairies. They designed the H.B.C. Stores (both new buildings and additions) in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and elsewhere. The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is valued as a landmark along Jasper Avenue. The building occupies an entire block-face with minimal setback, sparsely articulated walls and little fenestration above the ground floor, which contribute to the building's imposing appearance, despite its low horizontal massing. The large scale and prominent carvings on the building ornament the exterior and contribute to its monumental scale and presence. The Hudson's Bay Company Department Store is also significant because of its association with architects Kelvin C. Stanley and Company, who designed the north addition in 1955. Stanley was recognized for his prominent modern designs in Edmonton, including the 1957 Edmonton City Hall. He later became Director of Structures for Expo 67 and Chief Architect for the federal Department of Public Works in Ottawa.

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Edmonton, AB (No. 4)

Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River, at an elevation of 671 m (2,201 ft). It is North America's northernmost city with a population over one million. It is south of Alberta's geographic centre, which is near the Hamlet of Fort Assiniboine. The terrain in and around Edmonton is generally flat to gently rolling, with ravines and deep river valleys, such as the North Saskatchewan River valley. The Canadian Rockies are west of Edmonton and about 220 km (140 mi) to the southwest.

The North Saskatchewan River originates at the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park and bisects the city. It sometimes floods Edmonton's river valley, most notably in the North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915. It empties via the Saskatchewan River, Lake Winnipeg, and the Nelson River into Hudson Bay. It runs from the southwest to the northeast and is fed by numerous creeks throughout the city, including Mill Creek, Whitemud Creek and Blackmud Creek; these creeks have created ravines, some of which are used for urban parkland. Edmonton is within the Canadian Prairies Ecozone.

Aspen parkland surrounds the city and is a transitional area from the prairies to the south and boreal forest in the north. The aspen woods and forests in and around Edmonton have long since been reduced by farming and residential and commercial developments including oil and natural gas exploration.

Source: Wikipedia