Landmark Building

ATHABASCA HALL

University of Alberta Campus, Edmonton
Designed By: A.M. Jeffers
Built in 1911

The plans for Athabasca Hall, the university’s first building, were drawn up by A.M. Jeffers, the chief architect of Public Works, from ideas suggested by Percy Nobbs of Montreal. Nobbs and Frank Darling of Darling and Pearson of Toronto had been commissioned by the university in 1910 to draw up a master plan for the campus, and a somewhat grandiose scheme resulted. Only a few buildings from the plan were actually constructed. The Jacobethan, distinctly English look of the structure marks it as part of this original scheme. The U-shaped structure of red brick is enriched with a parapet, stone quoining at the corners and a stepped front gable. When opened in September 1911, Athabasca Hall contained classroom, administrative and library space as well as residential quarters made necessary due to the distance from the city of Strathcona to the university. In 1978, restoration of the structure was recognized by a Heritage Canada award of honour.

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The Landmark Buildings and Places Database draws on the series of walking and/or driving tour booklets produced by Alberta Culture (now Alberta Culture and Community Spirit). The Heritage Community Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry through permission to reprint these materials online. Extracted from Edmonton Walking Tours: Downtown, East, West, University of Alberta and Strathcona. City of Edmonton and Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism, n.d., with permission from Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Visit the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit for more information.