Enoch Sales Residence House Fire

    · 3 min read

    Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has owned the Enoch Sales Residence and adjacent land parcel since April 2017 and share in the concern expressed by many citizens this morning in learning of the fire at the historic house. While details of the fire are still being investigated by the Calgary Fire Department, we hope first and foremost, that nobody was injured in the fire and that crews can safely extinguish the fire.

    The historic house in east Victoria Park has been vacant for over 20 years and has been the subject of a series of assessments to examine the opportunities to restore the 3,400 SF house. In 2015, CMLC conducted a thorough assessment of the house to examine options and associated costs to rehabilitate the house and relocate to Enoch Park. The cost estimate for the restoration and relocation was approximately $3.0 million.

    “As the owner of the Enoch Sales Residence for the past two years, we are keenly aware of the significance of the house to Calgary’s history and for the community of Victoria Park," says Michael Brown, president and CEO, CMLC. “While the long-term plans for the building were not definitive at the time of today’s fire, we have been working through the complexities of the potential future for the house to determine its long-term use. We regret that now today, that future will not be realized”.

    Since CMLC’s acquisition of the house in April 2017, annual structural assessments have been undertaken to determine the general condition of the building structure and undertake any temporary measures to ensure the safety and integrity of the building. These assessments were completed in February 2017 and July 2018.

    Following the 2017 assessment, a temporary shoring system was installed in the below grade structure to ensure stability of the building while future plans were still being determined. The second structural assessment was undertaken in 2018 to review the building condition and confirmed the temporary shoring was performing as required and subsequent repairs to the foundation were made in December 2018. CMLC also conducted weekly visual assessments of the house to monitor any deterioration or required repairs.

    While approvals and funding were not yet in place to determine the long-term plans for the Enoch Sales House, CMLC was committed to ensuring the building’s integrity over the past two years.

    Photo: Andrew Guilbert

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