Red Deer’s historic Parsons House, now dwarfed by the eight-storey Justice Centre, has survived in the downtown for more than 120 years.
The 1903 structure was “saved” by the province during construction of the new $97-million courthouse — but its future is unclear.
This week, Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston said the province will be inspecting the historic home of one of Red Deer’s earliest doctors to establish whether the brick structure has withstood the impacts of heavy equipment and machinery movements.
In 2019, the Alberta government stated it recognized the value of preserving the historic residence, even as the massive Justice Centre was planned for next door. Then-infrastructure spokesperson Diane Carter said, “We recognize the heritage value and importance of Parsons House and are supportive of its continued designation as a Municipal Historic Resource.”
Construction fencing was put up around Parsons House while the Justice Centre was under construction. But with eight storeys built above ground and two storeys below ground, the mayor said a study is now needed to ascertain whether the house is in stable condition or if heavy equipment movements have caused damage.
Red Deer’s city council, including late historian and councillor Michael Dawe, had lobbied the provincial government to preserve Parsons’s House. And “it’s saved,” said Johnston on Wednesday.
But he added the city is still in talks with the province about the building’s future, as well as its potential uses since Alberta Infrastructure owns the house and the land it sits on.
Brendan Procé, communications director for Alberta Infrastructure, said Parsons House was used as a project site office to facilitate construction of the Red Deer Justice Centre.
Once the project is complete, Infrastructure will have no further provincial use for the building, “and due diligence work is underway to prepare the property for sale. We are not aware of any damage to the property at this time,” he added.
“Infrastructure will first offer the property to the City of Red Deer at market value for municipal purposes. If the City of Red Deer declines the offer, the property will be listed for sale on the open market.”
The two-storey Parsons House is listed on the Canadian Historic Places Register.
Much of the heritage value of the 121-year-old structure, which survives as “one of the best examples of Edwardian classical revival style in Red Deer,” lies in its association with Dr. Richard Parsons, one of Red Deer’s earliest physicians and surgeons.
Parsons’s career was distinguished at a provincial, national and even international level. He became the first doctor in Alberta to perform a gallbladder operation — after only reading about the procedure. He also successfully tried special diets as an innovative way of treating typhoid fever.
In 1915, Dr. Parsons enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. According to a column by Dawe, Parsons got his Royal College of Surgeons accreditation while overseas and then served in the first Canadian General Hospital in France and England. He died in 1944 after expanding his practise to include his two sons.
As for Parsons House, where the three doctors practiced, the Canadian Historic Places register states: As one of the largest remaining early homes, it represents the economic growth and social aspirations of Red Deer’s citizens in the pre-World War One era. Designed by C.A. Julian-Sharman, Red Deer’s most prominent architect, it incorporates the craftsmanship of master mason Julius McIntosh through its use of local Piper brick and quarried sandstone.”
There are also many unknowns about the future of the existing courthouse, opened in 1984, once the new Justice Centre opens later this year. Alberta Infrastructure said its future uses are still undecided.
Although the City of Red Deer rents some off-site spaces, a statement was provided earlier this week saying there are no talks underway for the city to take over a vacated courthouse building.