So the old Ritchie School is about to be demolished. To commemorate the history of the storied building, the community league put on a BBQ and allowed tours of its decidedly 1950’s annexes. I was able to grab quite a few pictures and thought some on here might find them interesting. Be prepared for a long post.
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Ritchie School was originally built over the winter and spring of 1912-13, to meet the ever increasing demand for proper teaching facilities in the city’s recently amalgamated southeast. Edmonton was experiencing an unprecedented growth spurt, and between 1902 and 1912 the city’s population soared from only 6,000 to 60,000. To keep up the E.P.S.B. began an equally unprecedented building spree, which saw $1,000,000 (roughly $25,000,000 today if my calculations are correct) spent on constructing “six, 16-room schools [for] 1913.” The massive Collegiate Gothic styled Ritchie School was designed by Building Commissioner George E. Turner, and opened to students in November of that year.
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I’ve seen quite a bit of outrage over the building’s demolition online, and I hope I can clear up some misunderstandings as to why its happening. Ritchie School was built on what was ostensibly a marsh and has been sinking ever since it was built. Its basement was completely flooded the year it opened, and has repeatedly flooded since, despite its foundation having been redone three times over the course of the last century. The E.P.S.B. had wanted the original 1913 wing demolished since 1974, but a lack of proper funding, and the annexes boilers location in the old school had always prevented this from happening. That year saw the 1913 building sealed off from its additions, and it has seen very little in the way of proper care since then, as it has only been used as storage and a workshop. An estimate from the Board in 2007 came up with a $17,000,000 price tag for only basic rehabilitation. So the school was sold to the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord, who have begun building a completely modern facility for less than that cost on the site.
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Unfortunately we were not allowed in the original wing of the school, as by all accounts it is in such a state of disrepair, to be unsafe to those without proper safety equipment. A peek through one of the musty door windows into the old portion however showcased an interesting sight. It seems as though many original elements still remain, from its staircases, to wood banisters, vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors. Sadly, you can immediately tell that it hasn't seen major use in the better part of 50 years. Nevertheless, what we were able to explore was amazing.
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The annexes proved to be a veritable time capsule. Many walls are clad in bright yellow tile, or massive teal coloured blocks. Others, typically sporting inset lockers, feature plaster; these ones have a pleasing colour combination of cream, with dark red trim. The floors are a mix of Terrazzo and linoleum, with the latter making use of a neat banding pattern. The washrooms are so stereotypically 1950’s, as to be laughable. They feature seafoam coloured tiling, interspersed with strips of a vibrant pink. Many still sport their original moulded porcelain sinks. Several of the classrooms and specialty areas, like the small gymnasium and woodworking shop, feature well worn, but immaculately polished, thin slatted hardwood. The woodworking shop itself is still fitted up with equipment that - while possibly not as old as the building itself - are antique. A classroom space created from part of the library proudly displays an amazingly sized three dimensional, topographical map of Alberta. So many of the fixtures appear to date to the annex’s opening, or are at least from the era. Carved wooden pamphlet holders reside near each outdoor entranceway. The ever ubiquitous hallway clocks that hang from the centre of the ceiling are encased in rounded, Moderne-esque rigs. Like the washrooms sinks, many of the drinking fountains are of the porcelain variety. Fire extinguisher signs are of cast metal, and many of the entrances still feature their original doors and hardware. It is truly hard to put into words just how much of a period piece the place is. Walking through the doors is so like stepping back into 1960 that the few pieces of modern equipment like a vending machine, or new stoves in the Home Economics room, truly feel out of place.
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Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this brief tour! From what I understand demolition is expected to start by the end of 2019. Architectural elements like the cast stone name and dateplates are supposed to be retained for use on the Ritchie Community League's new home.
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