Scarboro’s
Unique
History.
The neighborhood of Scarboro, located in the southwest quadrant of Calgary, was planned in swiftly-growing Calgary from 1909 to 1910 – a unique period in Calgary’s development – a significant achievement as Calgary’s first ‘picturesque suburb’ and illustrative of the Boom Era (1906-1912).
The designer of Scarboro was a gifted and dedicated landscape architect, John Charles Olmsted (1850-1920) of the famous Olmsted Brothers firm of Brookline, Mass., which had been founded by his adoptive father Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Mount Royal Park in Montreal and co-designer of Central Park in New York City. Scarboro’s design was commissioned by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to give Calgary the same stature as other well-appreciated cities in North America. CPR retained the Olmsted Brothers firm to create special designs in the City of Calgary that applied naturalistic principles in Bridgeland, Mount Royal, and Scarboro.
John Charles Olmsted’s mastery of landscape design is artistically displayed in Scarboro, where architecture is subordinated to the effects created by natural scenery. Scarboro’s streetscapes are plotted in harmony with its topographic features. Curvilinear streets trace the contours of the land, thus rendering walking, cycling, and driving a picturesque experience. The many ‘parklets’ that appear in Scarboro – small green triangles located at intersections of curving streets – are Olmsted signature features, found in the firm’s residential districts from 1869 to 1930. Scarboro was laid out as a system of parks and boulevards, fully built out in accordance with J.C. Olmsted’s original plan, and this plan has been retained up to the present day. It is distinctive as one of two fully built out Olmsted firm designs in Canada with strong integrity. The other, Uplands in Oak Bay, Victoria, BC, was designated as a National Historic Site in 2019.
For more information on the history of this historic neighborhood, please read Scarboro’s Historic Context Paper (2020).
Walking tour with Norval Horner.
Scarboro as a Designated Heritage Community.
Add your home to the inventory of evaluated historic resources.
In conversations with Heritage Calgary (heritagecalgary.ca) and other city reps, we’ve heard that the best way to demonstrate Scarboro’s interest in protecting its heritage assets is to have individual homes listed on the ‘Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources’. This inventory is a list of sites that meet certain criteria and are identified as possessing significant heritage value. About 75% of homes in Scarboro meet the basic requirements. Go to heritagecalgary.ca/explore-inventory to read more.
While the City has limited resources to complete all of the requested evaluations, just making a request is an important ‘first step’ and shows Scarboro’s interest in preserving its heritage assets.
To begin the process, contact Cynthia Klassen at Heritage Calgary: cklaassen@heritagecalgary.ca
To talk to other Scarboro neighbours who have gone through the process, contact Sheena Trotter-Dennis: sheenabhumc@gmail.com
HERITAGE
DISTRICT.
In evaluating a historic place, the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta have established processes for determining its eligibility for heritage protection.
The Historical Resources Act allows for the designation of historic districts at both the provincial and municipal levels. However, neither form of designation has been used extensively in Alberta, and policies and procedures have not yet been established to help guide these protective measures.
heritage - Parks
& GARDENs - Walks &
TOURS.
Scarboro is especially proud of its unique history and how it connects to the larger history of Calgary.
On August 6, 2023 the community’s Heritage Committee celebrated with Scarboro residents and some of Calgary’s history buffs as we unveiled park signs that are now installed in 6 of our Scarboro parks. Each sign explains the history of the park and area and most importantly, provides the official name of the park. We encourage you to do a ‘walk-about’ in Scarboro and visit each of the parks and signs.
In July 2022, the Scarboro Community Association and community volunteers organized a Historic Walking, Garden Tour and Tea in Scarboro. The walking tour included history about sixteen homes on Scarboro Avenue and many interesting facts about the neighbourhood.
» view Scarboro 2022 walking tour
Talking with Glynn Wright
SCARBORO
ARCHIVES.
Contribute.
The stories of community-building in Scarboro can be told from multiple perspectives.
We want to hear your story! Your day-to-day experiences, the challenges or triumphs of past family members. Your expaerience of significant events in Scarboro. Your participation in activities that led to building community and a sense of place. Please help us compile photos, stories, letters, and memorabilia that will help future generations catch a glimpse of what makes this community unique.