April30_2008

Botanical Glossary - Home - References Cited

On the opposite side of the wall full of the Gargoyle Figures on a wall, are these three buildings as viewed out the window of the Telus Convention Centre onto 8th avenue SE.

Photos - L-R - The L.H. Doll Building - at 116 - 8th Avenue SE. When L.H. Doll opened his jewelry store in 1907, it was hailed by the Calgary Eye Opener as “Doll’s New Diamond Palace”. Itself a gem, the first and second storeys sparkled with beveled glass. The Doll Block stands out primarily for the delightful third storey oriel window with its leaded glass and surrounding sandstone trim. D.E. Black, moved his jewelry store into the building, and on December 18, 1911, he was the victim of the largest diamond heist in Calgary’s history: a noon hour Christmas heist of $11,000 worth of diamonds.

Thomson Brothers Block at 112 - 8th Avenue SE. Thomson Brothers Block (façade only) Built in 1893 - The façade of the Thomson Brothers Block is an excellent example of Calgary’s early sandstone period. The art of the stonemason is well-illustrated by the varied sandstone arches that define the Thomson Block’s third-storey windows. Originally built to house the Thomson’s bookstore, stationery and printing business, it has housed dry goods, hardware and banking establishments, among others.

Neilson Block at 118 - 8th Avenue SE. Built in 1903 by Hugh Neilson, it housed his flourishing Neilson Furniture Co. which occupied all three floors. The rough hand-hewn blocks used on the first storey are typical of the sandstone construction which followed the fire of 1886. The upper two storeys added in 1910 used smooth, or “dressed”, blocks of the locally quarried stone. Both construction dates are visible on the frieze below the cornice.

When the Calgary Saddledome was built in the early 1980's, the saddle shape was chosen to represent the western spirit. The Saddledome is on the grounds of the Calgary Stampede, "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", home of Canada's most famous western fair and rodeo. The roofline of the Saddledome is unmistakable.

Photos - L-R - Arriving at the Pengrowth Saddledome for the afternoon press conference to meet some of the key people in the 2008 Juno awards show in Calgary and to view the unique and interesting stage set up for the Sunday Juno Awards evening. Photographed from the main entrance of the Saddledome entrance is the Calgary Stampede Historical Mural on the side of the Corral Building.

Looking North toward the Calgary Tower framed in the drooping street light at the Saddledome with the parking lot below.

A white and red Chuck Wagon like the ones used for racing Chuck Wagons at the Calgary Stampede. The Pengrowth Saddledome opened in 1983 and hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. It was the first building in North America to make room for the larger, international-sized surface. Designers added 6,000 acoustic tiles to the concrete roof panels, making for a great concert sound. Yet the tiles also muffle the crowd noise at a building where the fans already tend to be pretty quiet.

Photos - L-R - Arriving at the Pengrowth Saddledome and heading in through the media entrance, I look back toward the west to see workers setting up a stage and lighting for the Red Carpet Gala which will be broadcast on April 6th during the Juno Awards Night here at the Saddledome.

A twisted art object outside the Trans Canada Building 450 1st Street SW in downtown Calgary. TransCanada Tower is an office tower located in Calgary, Alberta. Located at 450 1st Street SW, it stands at 177 meters (581 ft) or 38 storeys tall and was completed in 2001. It was designed by the architectural firm, Cohos Evamy. The tower overlooks a circular park. The TransCanada Tower houses the head offices of TransCanada Corporation.

Oil Barrels, light and Rosco Fog during a pre-Juno press conference at the Pengrowth Saddledome - with an apology. I cannot show the photos of the folks photographed during the press conference due to my affiliation with United Press International.

Click here for more photos of Calgary for this day.