Historic power plant demolition on hold
Agreement by province required
The old Rossdale power plant’s fate could be clear by summer after councillors voted Monday to determine if the province will allow demolition by removing the building’s historic designation.
The enormous low-pressure generating structure with its seven distinctive smokestacks is a unique Alberta industrial site, but experts say it needs $4.6 million in immediate repairs to replace the roof and fix one wall.
The total budget to upgrade the building and two nearby pump houses for potential tenants, site improvements and an esplanade around the 1.8-hectare riverside property is estimated at $104 million.
Coun. Kim Krushell called those numbers “a bit of a challenge,” although she’s willing to wait for the July 8 report that will also provide ideas from the public about how the former power station could be reused economically.
“If we had to vote today, I think it’s pretty obvious there’s no (return on investment). It would be the death knell,” Krushell told city staff at executive committee.
“The dollars are going to be pretty tight. Hopefully, we will come up with something creative when you guys come back in July.”
Mayor Stephen Mandel said a developer might want to partner with the city on a project such as putting apartments at the site, but he’s not optimistic. “My guess is no. I have been in the building unending numbers of times, and I’m not sure what you can do to make it functional,” he said, adding council should come to some decision after seeing the report.
The building, almost the size of two football fields, wasn’t designed with proper heating, mechanical or electrical systems, let alone elevators or accessible entrances, he said.
“A miracle, that’s what it’s going to take.”
There have been discussions about making the area part of an arts district beside the North Saskatchewan River, or turning it into something similar to Vancouver’s Granville Island Market.
A 2011 report suggested putting restaurants in the pump houses and using the power plant, erected in stages from 1931 to 1954, for such activities as markets, exhibits, concerts, shops or studio space.
Epcor is negotiating to transfer control of the property to the city by the end of March and has offered to pay $1 million toward the redevelopment.
The firm will raze everything to slightly below ground level unless the city wants the buildings, president Don Lowry said. He agreed to find out whether the provincial government would take the unprecedented step of removing historic designation for this to happen. “I can’t support the expenditure of those funds to support a building that has no commercial value to Epcor at all.”
But Several councillors don’t want to give up on the project yet. Coun. Ben Henderson said the area is intended to be a gateway to downtown beside the new signature Walterdale Bridge served by a $35-million funicular.
Architect Donna Clare, who has worked on the project, said at least $20 million could be shaved off the budget and spread out over time, and with temporary facilities it could be opened a few times a year at even less cost. “I think it has this amazing potential to be what I call an urban magnet … You talk to anybody about this part of our city, and they fall in love with it.”