Beaudoin, Pres/Founder; John Kaster, Director
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WHERE ARE WE? A prairie town ½ way between Saskatoon & Calgary has one of the last original intact Canadian Hanna Roundhouse Society Northern Railroad Roundhouses left in Canada. Ref: Special Areas Board Hanna Roundhouse Society MISSION STATEMENT To create a functional space for providing culture, education, economic opportunities and railroad history through the restoration and development of the Hanna Roundhouse. Unanimous vote by Hanna Roundhouse Society board & directors, March 14, 2011 Boiler Room = Interpretive Center Locomotive Service Bays= Great Hall Auction Ring/seating area = Weigh Scale Theatre & Night Club WHO ARE WE? We are a small group of volunteers passionate about saving this building for the historical significance to Hanna & surrounding communities in Special Area. Some of us are railroad buffs; some of us are history buffs. Regardless, we all feel we are doing something to save a piece of local & Western Canadian history & to bring attention to our prairie town with positive influences on our opportunity for rural development. Aug 8, 2015 featuring our Board/Volunteers accepting the Provincial Historic Resource Plaque: L-R: Walter Alksne, Vice Pres., Karen Frobb, Director; Ed Kurbis, Director; Carol Kurbis, Treas.; MLA Kim Schreiner for Min. Culture & Tourism David Eggen, Maureen Tyers, Sec.; Kyle Toporchak, Director; Sandra Beaudoin, Pres/Founder; John Kaster, Director. The Hanna Roundhouse Society is a Non-Profit Society incorporated January 13, 2010 (#5015121196). 1913 CNoR PLANS FOR HANNA’S ROUNDHOUSE Original 10 bays outlined in 1913 with the 1918 addition of 5 more bays as the “Future”. Then there is also another 5 bays for “Extension” & another 5 bays to be added in a “Future Extension”! Was Hanna to have 25 bays in total before WW1 started in 1914? HISTORY Ref: Hanna Archives “The Town of Hanna is about ½ way between Calgary & Saskatoon & was designated a Canadian Northern Railway Divisional point in 1912 by D. B. Hanna, executive of the CNoR. “Being designated a railway divisional point virtually ensured a community’s economic future.” (Ref: Along These Lines, Canadian Northern Society, p. 32) Ref: Hanna Archives “The new roundhouse when completed will be a most substantial affair being built entirely of reinforced concrete. The structure is divided in the center by a fire proof concrete wall, five stalls occupying each side. To the rear, a machine shop capable of turning out the work of a large divisional point has been erected, and the latest machinery and appliances will be installed”. (Ref: “Work progressing rapidly at CNR Yards, Hanna Herald, Sept 19, 1913, Hanna Archives). Water Tower West towards Hanna’s 1913 CNoR Roundhouse from the Sand circa 1915 Tower in the Hanna Rail yard. (Circa 1914-1918: Hanna Archives) Left: Sample of some machinery in a Machine Shop Right: Inside a roundhouse in front of a steam locomotive 1913 CANADIAN NORTHERN RAILROAD ROUNDHOUSE …….. North Exposure South & West Exposure ……..AS IT IS TODAY Eastern Exposure East & Northeast Exposure HANNA ROUNDHOUSE SOCIETY VISION This is a sample of our vision: Roundhouse Machine Shop = approx. 3,700 sq. ft. 10 service bay Roundhouse = approx. 19,000 sq. ft. Roundhouse Property = 8.97 ac. The main focus will provide as much flexibly to allow events to compatible with other Hanna venues if possible within ethical guidelines & still maintain the integrity of the heritage of this amazing building & property. IMPORTANT INFLUENCE HRS purchases property Sept. 21, 2013 & start cleaning out the roundhouse. RHS hold a free-offering Chuckwagon Roast Beef dinner for the public & target the visitors coming to the Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo. People get a chance to see the condition of the building for themselves. Huge success! Left: Clint Hutton & Sandra Beaudoin & friend cleaned out the first 5 bays in 7 days & with help from volunteers & donators, were able to raise our first funds. Chris Moorhouse gets permission from HRS to use the Hanna Roundhouse for his Masters Degree in Architecture & receives distinction in 2014. Shares his thesis at the Heritage Trust in Eastern Canada 2014. Roundhouse Components & Potential Improvements The Roundhouse is divided into: 1. The Machine Shop Interpretive Center: Coffee bar, (liquor bar for special events), Sitting area, Railroad Library, Historical video display & portable historical railroad display walls suspended from the ceiling (approx. 3,700 sq. ft.) 2. The Great Hall: rental revenue from public/private events in stalls 1-5 (approx. 9,500 sq. ft.) 3. Auction Ring Theatre: rental revenue for public/private theatre events, lectures, music performances, etc. This is bays 6 & 7 which total 3,800 sq. ft. (Potential lease of space) 4. Railroad Museum Centre in bays 8-10 (approx. 5,700 sq. ft.). Display of small rolling stock & service bay pit opened for access. Future Long term plans: 1. Rebuild of 1918 section, bays 11-15 & consist of 9,500 sq. ft. structural sound construction to replicate original bays. 2. Extension Build for an additional 9,500 sq. ft. with modern interior? ENTRANCE POSSIBILITY Set of 2 double doors Administrative Offices & public washrooms will be built in the entrance area so not to take away from the building floor space. This new area will enclose the west side of service bays 1-5 with access to the Machine Shop which will serve as an Interpretive Center & public access to the Roundhouse on the other end of the Machine Shop. Access will also be through a door at the end of bay 4 where currently there is a boarded up hole in the wall. This hole has broken 2 large windows; one will be replaced & the other replaced with a private access door/emergency door. MACHINE SHOP/BOILER ROOM MACHINE SHOP /BOILER ROOM Vision for Boiler Room as a Railroad Interpretive Center 1. Original wood work in ceiling from Pulley systems & Historical wooden machinery supports will remain exposed in full view 2. Replace Original Light Fixtures 3. Boiler Access Doors on the North wall will lead to a patio used as weather permits. 4. West Main Entrance Doors 5. I-Beams in Natural State (may have been added in 1940’s when walls of roundhouse were raised) 6. Rebuild Original Windows 7. Model Train Exhibit Donated to the HRS by the Heavenly Puff Model Railroad Club will be on display some 8. Coffee Bar area for visitors & volunteers which can also place in this area. pass as a refreshment area for intermission for theater performances in the theatre space in stalls 6 & 7 of the roundhouse where the footprints lead, exiting to the NE door of the Boiler Room. This drawing was commissioned from Donna Brink by Sandra Beaudoin in the Spring 2014….. Follow the footprints………. GRAND HALL Service Bays 1-5 One of the photos (left) shared Wedding photos taken at the 1913 with the HRS by the Calgary CNoR Roundhouse January 2014 Photography Club who we allowed them to come into the building supervised by the HRS, Sept. 2015 CN RETIREE RAILROADER REUNION AUGUST 7-9, 2015 was our first indoor sit down event. It was invitation only for the Saturday banquets with catered meal. The HRS requested a Sunday Service with the church community which was open to the public as was the Friday BBQ & Saturday/Sunday breakfasts. The Sunday Church service brought a group not necessarily interested in railroad or history, to the roundhouse to see the potential of this building for a variety of events. This was a huge success & many want more similar events! This event also allowed the Hanna Roundhouse Society to share the celebration of receiving our Provincial Historic Resource Designation plaque August 8, 2015. PLANS FOR THE FORMER AUCTION RING A stage will be installed in front of the locomotive doors for backdrop. Leasing this area out will provide revenue to the Hanna Roundhouse Society for operating expenses & further repairs The Theatre Area could be rented out for events when available from lease for additional events by other groups also for revenue for HRS. Wall at end of these bays has been removed exposing the large RR doors. MUSEUM POSSIBILITIES FOR BAYS 8-10 • The Railroad Museum would occupy space in bays 8-10. Under a wooden portion of the floor in bay 8 appears to house a service bay pit which we would like to expose in the future. In the interim we are considering installing railroad rails in by 8 to house rolling stock to replicate rails in the service bay. • House a steam locomotive (or special passenger cars ) & display a collection of rolling stock in the rail yard which could be renovated or restored. • Historical Railroad Exhibits we’ve already started collecting & displaying when the opportunity allows. Locomotive which ran out of Hanna with local Engineer at the controls. Circa 1940’s Ref: Pat & Ken Parker ROUNDHOUSE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PLANS SAMPLES OF REPURPOSED RAILROAD STOCK: 1. Bed & Breakfast in Caboose Converted Suites, Railroad stock converted into useable Footloose Caboose @ Tofield, revenue. Converted train cars (caboose) into Alberta : individual guest rooms. Something similar to this may be of interest & may be a resource for future contacts? 2. Formal Dining Car Restaurant, A restored Dinner Car set on the turntable, slowly rotating during the course of a catered meal could be a unique theme for the Hanna Roundhouse. Work done by volunteers of the Hanna Roundhouse Society TIMBERS FROM 2012 DEMOLITION OF 1918 ADDITION MOVED OFF THE 1918 FOUNDATION SPRING 2015 POSSIBILITIES FOR REBUILD OF 1918 SECTION Bricks from the original are being kept to use decoratively for the exterior to resemble the original brickwork. The inside however, could be something completely different working around pillars. Or, if a business would be interested in setting up a business & building to suit, the Hanna Roundhouse Society could work with them & this would be another source of revenue to help develop the site further.