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Make Parsons house preservation an election issue, Red Deer city councillor suggests

Coun. Michael Dawe says candidates can be questioned about where they stand
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File photo by ADVOCATE staff Red Deer’s Parsons House, a municipal historic resource, before it was fenced off by the province.

The fate of a heritage home in downtown Red Deer could become an election issue, suggests a Red Deer city councillor.

The April 16 election is looming and the City of Red Deer doesn’t know yet whether Parsons house will be demolished to make way for Red Deer’s new justice centre, or whether it will be incorporated into the new design.

“We are actively working with the province to determine the next steps,” said city communications director Julia Harvie Shemko. While no final decision has been announced, “we have continued to collaborate at a staff level to find resolution in the near future,” she added.

On Tuesday, Jessica Johnson, communications director, for Alberta Infrastructure confirmed discussions are continuing with the City of Red Deer. She added, “Unfortunately, I cannot comment further because we are in a general election.”

The demolition of the old RCMP station, next door to Parsons house, was supposed to begin this spring to make way for the construction of the new Justice Centre. But no date has been announced for that either.

Red Deer city Coun. Michael Dawe sees a positive side to this situation. He suggests making the preservation of Parson’s house an election issue.

“I am personally in favour of saving the house,” he said, “and this election is an opportunity for other people to ask the (candidates) they will be voting for where they stand on saving the house?”

Red Deer city council has already expressed strong support for keeping the house to the New Democrat government. The City of Red Deer sent the province a letter, requesting Parsons house be incorporated into the new justice centre development, rather than torn down.

City wants to keep historic house

House’s future uncertain

Former city manager Craig Curtis said it would be wrong to wreck a designated historic resource. He called Parsons house “an important part of our heritage, and a unique structure — one of the few original brick buildings from this era. In this city, there is too few of them.”

Built in 1903 at the corner of 49th Street and 48th Avenue, Parsons house contained the city’s first medical clinic and was once home to Dr. Richard Parsons, who established a national reputation and served in the first Canadian General Hospital in France and England during the First World War.

Parsons house is considered one of the best surviving examples of Edwardian neo-classical designs in the city. It’s also one of the few local structures clad in brick from the defunct Red Deer brickyards.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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