Elbow Park School is a landmark building located in the heart of the Elbow Park neighbourhood. Built in 1926, the charming two-storey building was designed to reflect the residential character of the neighbourhood. Elbow Park School was the first and most ornate of a series of brick schools built in the 1920s by the Calgary Board of Education. With exception to a gymnasium addition built in 1972, the general aesthetic and quality of Elbow Park School remained intact and in good condition over the years.
GGA recognized the historic value the school represented to the community and, upon careful analysis and consultation with the client, community, and consultant team, designed a replacement school that includes the preservation of the North exterior wall and the reconstruction of the East & West exterior walls which could not be preserved due to constructability issues. In addition, select architectural pieces such as the library wood hammer trusses and the roof cupola were preserved/reconstructed and re-incorporated into the replacement school. A contemporary school was built within the historic envelope based on the programmatic requirements set by the Calgary Board of Education.