Downtown Tunnels

[bakersdozen]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Care to elaborate?

The landmark Barron Building in downtown Calgary—constructed between 1949-1951—is one of its finest examples of modern architecture and has historically played a crucial role in solidifying the city’s position as the centre of Alberta’s oil industry. Clad in buff-coloured brick, Tyndall limestone, and polished black granite, the 11-storey Art Moderne office tower designed by prominent local architect Jack Cawston also houses the two-screen Uptown Theatre (the last historic movie house in the downtown core), which until recently played an important role in the city’s cultural scene. Despite Edmonton’s proximity to the 1947 Leduc oil strike, the Barron Building’s first-class office space quickly drew oil industry occupants, sparking a surge in Calgary office construction that rapidly made it the undisputed centre of the petroleum industry. http://www.heritagecanada.org/en/iss...arron-building

and...

Barron Building is an 11-storey building containing 130,834 square feet of office and retail space. The property is located in the downtown commercial core, in the south west quadrant of Calgary. Barron Building was designed by Cawston and Stephenson and construction was completed in 1954. We at Strategic Group share and appreciate J.B. Barron’s vision and creativity. In Mr. Barron’s tradition we have embarked on a redevelopment program that will see the Barron Building restored as a historically significant building providing tenants with premises that are, environmentally, technologically, and aesthetically, some the finest in the City. The Barron Building marks the shift of the Oil and Gas industries focus from Edmonton to Calgary, as well as the growth in Calgary that followed. The new Art Deco building was an immediate success; Mobil, Shell and Sun Oil were early tenants. - http://www.strategicgroup.ca/Real-Es...-Building.aspx

I'd also gather that the proximately to the Mountains/Banff and warmer climate with the Chinooks made it an easier choice as well?

[Calgarian]

Thanks for the info, very interesting.

[Policy Wonk]

That is ridiculous.

Leduc was "the big one" but the oil industry was already well established in Calgary and had been for years. The first producing well in Southern Alberta was drilled in 1902. Turner Valley came in 1914 and in the 1920's Calgary became a refining centre. What became the Jumping Pound Unit began producing in the 1930's.

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

That is ridiculous.

Leduc was "the big one" but the oil industry was already well established in Calgary and had been for years. The first producing well in Southern Alberta was drilled in 1902. Turner Valley came in 1914 and in the 1920's Calgary became a refining centre. What became the Jumping Pound Unit began producing in the 1930's.

Is this the one in Waterton National Park?

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by bakersdozen

The landmark Barron Building in downtown Calgary—constructed between 1949-1951—is one of its finest examples of modern architecture and has historically played a crucial role in solidifying the city’s position as the centre of Alberta’s oil industry. Clad in buff-coloured brick, Tyndall limestone, and polished black granite, the 11-storey Art Moderne office tower designed by prominent local architect Jack Cawston also houses the two-screen Uptown Theatre (the last historic movie house in the downtown core), which until recently played an important role in the city’s cultural scene. Despite Edmonton’s proximity to the 1947 Leduc oil strike, the Barron Building’s first-class office space quickly drew oil industry occupants, sparking a surge in Calgary office construction that rapidly made it the undisputed centre of the petroleum industry. http://www.heritagecanada.org/en/iss...arron-building

and...

Barron Building is an 11-storey building containing 130,834 square feet of office and retail space. The property is located in the downtown commercial core, in the south west quadrant of Calgary. Barron Building was designed by Cawston and Stephenson and construction was completed in 1954. We at Strategic Group share and appreciate J.B. Barron’s vision and creativity. In Mr. Barron’s tradition we have embarked on a redevelopment program that will see the Barron Building restored as a historically significant building providing tenants with premises that are, environmentally, technologically, and aesthetically, some the finest in the City. The Barron Building marks the shift of the Oil and Gas industries focus from Edmonton to Calgary, as well as the growth in Calgary that followed. The new Art Deco building was an immediate success; Mobil, Shell and Sun Oil were early tenants. - http://www.strategicgroup.ca/Real-Es...-Building.aspx

I'd also gather that the proximately to the Mountains/Banff and warmer climate with the Chinooks made it an easier choice as well?

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, almost every new kid in school was American, who's dad worked for one of the American Oil Companies and was transferred to Calgary.

One of the earliest jokes I remember was that the Americans liked to be in Calgary rather than Edmonton, so if the oil patch was nationalized they had a quicker drive to the border.

I reminded a few of my "Yank-adian" friends of this when Trudeau created Petro-Canada. "Keep your suitcase packed, you might be nationalized next ..." .
A few were actually worried because they believed Trudeau was secretly a Communist after creating PetroCan and then the NEP.

[Chadillaccc]

LMAO! That is hilarious. Ohhh American societal paranoid-psychosis, gotta love it

[s211]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

A few were actually worried because they believed Trudeau was secretly a Communist after creating PetroCan and then the NEP.

Secretly? That man was never in the closet.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

I reminded a few of my "Yank-adian" friends of this when Trudeau created Petro-Canada. "Keep your suitcase packed, you might be nationalized next ..." .
A few were actually worried because they believed Trudeau was secretly a Communist after creating PetroCan and then the NEP.

Ironic to think that it was the US that pretty much nationalized their financial and automotive industries. At least in fiscal terms.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, almost every new kid in school was American, who's dad worked for one of the American Oil Companies and was transferred to Calgary.

One of the earliest jokes I remember was that the Americans liked to be in Calgary rather than Edmonton, so if the oil patch was nationalized they had a quicker drive to the border.

I reminded a few of my "Yank-adian" friends of this when Trudeau created Petro-Canada. "Keep your suitcase packed, you might be nationalized next ..." .
A few were actually worried because they believed Trudeau was secretly a Communist after creating PetroCan and then the NEP.

It's amazing how many people in my day-to-day still bring up the NEP and anti-trudeau rhetoric. The man has been dead for 10 years, out of office for 30. Hell, Calgary only had 400,000-odd people here when those programs were in place.

It is also very peculiar the level of this attitude passed on to the younger generation (I grew up in the 90s). While substantially less, it still is common to hear a 20 year old agree with what a 60 year old's issue was 30 years ago.

I still hear people my age complaining about it as if they lost their jobs 20 years before they were born. It is very strange, because it is not specific, its an ideology "Liberals are bad because they took my oil", which is not a real argument compared to "Liberals are bad because their NEP made me lose my job in 1981".

Parental brainwashing is pervasive here. But I guess that what happens in the province of parental hand-outs for Oil-gas jobs.

[s211]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Parental brainwashing is pervasive here. But I guess that what happens in the province of parental hand-outs for Oil-gas jobs.

Ummm, huh, what?

[MalcolmTucker]

Super aside

As for the NEP, if it had been left in place it would have eventually been a huge money suck for the rest of Canada subsidizing oil sands expansion in the name of energy security.
The plan was based on commonly accepted timelines at the time for energy prices, and was supposed to keep Canadian oil prices lower than the international price for the long term.

from: The National Energy Program – A missed boom for the oil sands?
By Andrew Leach on August 10, 2013

[Carny]

I know how to get in to the underground tunnel system under the city center.