Tuxedo Park School (1920 and 1956-7)

We’re spending a quiet evening with Tuxedo Park School (North Calgary) simply wandering about and snapping a few photos. The faculty was built in two stages, 1920 and then expanded upon greatly in the 1956-7 before closing some years back. With the property currently in limbo, there’s uncertainty at every turn, but its historic value, at least in regards to the oldest wing, doesn’t seem to be in question.

Still, that’s not necessarily a guarantee of anything.

When built, the school was literally out in the county and at the very periphery of town. An aerial photo discovered, from later in the 1920s, shows it kept company with a few scattered homes and many vacant lots. The Tuxedo Park neighbourhood was established in the 1910s, when annexed by the city, but didn’t really take off until post World War Two.

The original wing was built as a bungalow school, a larger and more refined variation on the earlier cottage school theme. Both were modest in size and either could be easily converted into a residential apartment block should building a bigger replacement school be needed down the road. This did happen, but here, the building was kept and added onto instead.

School’s out @ Tuxedo Park.

Demand must have really taken off in the 1950s, as the new addition is many times that of the original. Prior to this, some homes occupied what is today the school grounds toward Centre Street. That boulevard divides the Northwest and Northeast quadrants of Calgary, incidentally, and the school on the NE side, but just.

A large park borders on the school’s north side but fenced off while work proceeded to turn it into a storm-water catch basin. It’ll remain a park, but with the lowering of the land, it’ll now be doing double duty. Don’t walk your dog there in a downpour! Given that park remained off limits, people were using the school grounds in that same capacity and it got quite busy at times.

Tuxedo Park Bungalow School became one of about ten constructed in the city and this along with many more earlier Cottage Schools (here’s one: Capitol Hill Cottage School). Examples of both can still be found in many older neighbourhoods and each built respectively, to a common family plan.

The Arts and Crafts architecture of the older wing contrasts with the utilitarian ’50s addition, but that’s how it goes. Architecture styles are always in flux and you sometimes get Franken-buildings as a result, when new sections are added. Here, the new and old are both of brick so it’s not that bad.

The newer section is two stories, except where it connects to the story and half bungalow section and there it’s single level.

Tuxedo Park School (bungalow section) is listed in the city’s inventory of evaluated historic resources but that’s a title only and carries no real weight. It’s noted that it retained many of its as-built features inside and said to be in reasonable shape and as such, the likelihood of this building surviving is better than the newer addition. Both sections are potentially for sale to the right suitor, with the city retaining right of first refusal from the Board of Education. There’s no current listing that we could find, but if you show up with a dump truck load of money, the CBE will listen.

The original coal chute doors remain in place, one on each side of the building and display the markings of their maker, Economy Foundry of Portage la Prairie Manitoba. The one in our photo has seen a lot of patchwork weld-repairs over the years.

Tuxedo Park functioned as an elementary school for its entire history before closing in 2003. For the next decade plus it served as an adult learning centre, but even that came to an end in 2014. It’s sat empty ever since but the building watched over and everything kept up.

Some folks have taken it upon themselves to decorate up the building and grounds with chalk art. It’s positive and uplifting stuff for the most part, but as is the norm these days, there’s some bordering on the political, plus the usual slacktivism signalling. Make of it what you will. On one side it’s the cause-du-jour and similarly scrawled in chalk, a response from someone taking exception: “What about the millions?” with flying dollar signs to drive home the point.

Yup, everyone’s polarized, the gap ever widening, the arguments endless and hate winning out over love by a huge margin. And the parking lot of Tuxedo Park School is the battle ground. Sigh…but enough of that.

It’s been closed for many years.

Comes a few more laps in the every fading light and we’re soon done. The clouds roll overhead and once in a while make a deep rumbling noise, but nothing comes of it. Chat with some dog walkers and pet a few friendly pooches and it’s time to go. Good night Tuxedo Park School.

Class dismissed…forever.

Know more (new windows): Tuxedo Park School Calgary and Calgary Cottage and Bungalow Schools.

They’re saying…

”The subject matter is very interesting….thanks for sharing these historic and abandoned places!” Alex Hunter.

More like this…
Viscount Bennett.
Mayland Heights School.
Roland School.

If you wish more information on what’s seen here, don’t hesitate to: contact us!

Date of Adventure: April, 2022.
Location(s): Calgary, Alberta.
Article references and thanks: Calgary Heritage Initiative, Calgary Board of Education and City of Calgary.

The future’s uncertain for now.

A coal chute in the section.

This wing is from 1920.

Tuxedo Park School was at the edge of town when built.

At the end it was used for adult education.

This larger wing dates from the 1950s.

There’s been much talk about somehow saving it.

In the meantime, locals use it as a park of sorts.

Just wandering about one quiet evening.

Looking up…

And down…

One final shot before going.