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BOWMAN ARTS CENTRE

811 - 5 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J, Canada

Reconnu formellement en: 1982/03/19

Lethbridge Manual Training School (circa 1914); City of Lethbridge Archives, date unknown
Front elevation
The Bowman Arts Centre Provincial Historic Resource (April 2004); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2004
Front elevation
Pas d'image

Autre nom(s)

Bowman School
BOWMAN ARTS CENTRE
Lethbridge High School
Old Lethbridge Manual Training School

Liens et documents

Date(s) de construction

1912/01/01

Inscrit au répertoire canadien: 2005/05/12

Énoncé d'importance

Description du lieu patrimonial

Located on 5th Avenue South in Lethbridge, Alberta, the Bowman Arts Centre is a two-storey, stone and wood frame building occupying nine city lots next to the original commercial core of the city.

Valeur patrimoniale

The heritage value of the Bowman Arts Centre lies in its representation of institutional architecture from the pre-World War One era, and the important role it has played in the history of education in the province.

The Bowman Arts Centre is built in a distinctive style that combines the classical detailing popular in Alberta with a style known as "Collegiate Gothic," popular for educational institutions in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This school, however, was built on a reduced scale (only two stories rather than three) perhaps because as a technical school it had a limited enrollment and fewer space requirements than the regular environment of public schools.

The building is also significant for its role in the province's educational history. It was built in 1912 as the Lethbridge Manual Training School, the first school in Alberta to be built for vocational training (teaching such subjects as woodwork, metalwork, and machine shop to boys, household science to girls). Funds and staff were drained by the contingencies of World War One, however, and the vocational school operated only until 1915. Subsequently it was used as a high school, an elementary school, and a community arts center.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 1083)

Éléments caractéristiques

Character-defining elements of the Bowman Arts Centre include elements of the Collegiate Gothic style and classical detailing such as:

Exterior
- the rectangular form, scale and massing;
- slightly bell cast hipped roof with cedar shingle and ridge trim;
- the use of locally manufactured bricks and quarried sandstone;
- contrasting colours of red brick facade and sandstone detailing (including partial base of rock faced sandstone, continuous linking stone sills, and stone banding at corners);
- symmetrical fenestration pattern;
- a projecting entrance portico with parapet extension;
- sandstone Ionic columns supporting an entablature with modillioned cornice;
- the unobstructed view of all four building elevations;
- sandstone retaining wall details.

Interior
Original remaining elements and fittings of the interior of the Bowman Arts Centre such as:
- the main staircase and entrance foyer wall, floor and ceiling details;
- wood doors and frames;
- existing floorplan of rooms off central corridor;
- extant hardwood flooring, baseboard and trim.

Reconnaissance

Juridiction

Alberta

Autorité de reconnaissance

Province de l'Alberta

Loi habilitante

Historical Resources Act

Type de reconnaissance

Ressource historique provinciale

Date de reconnaissance

1982/03/19

Données sur l'histoire

Date(s) importantes

1912/01/01 à 1915/01/01

Thème - catégorie et type

Établir une vie sociale et communautaire
L'éducation et le bien-être de la société

Catégorie de fonction / Type de fonction

Actuelle

Commerce / Services commerciaux
Studio ou atelier

Historique

Éducation
Établissement de formation spécialisée ou centre de formation

Architecte / Concepteur

H.M. and W.A. Whiddington

Constructeur

s/o

Informations supplémentaires

Emplacement de la documentation

Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 256)

Réfère à une collection

Identificateur féd./prov./terr.

4665-0485

Statut

Édité

Inscriptions associées

s/o

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