PHOTO COURTESY LEN MCGEE
The Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce building pictured in 1960.
Built into a hill on Sixth Avenue and Fourth Street SE, stands one of Medicine Hat’s most unique commercial buildings in the downtown core.
It is the Chamber of Commerce building, an outstanding example of mid-century modern architecture popular between 1945 and 1970.
Characteristic of this architectural style, the building features a flat, low-pitched roof, a wide footprint, and floor to ceiling windows.
The building has fully utilized the incline of its location to hug and hold the natural landscape. Organic material such as brick, mahogany and cedar were part of the design.
Original interior colours were coral pink and aqua blue.
Locally manufactured red variegated rug texture brick heightened the exterior walls and buff brick enhanced interior walls.
In August 1958, the City-owned Hope Apartment building was demolished to make way for a new civic building on the current Chamber site.
Local contractor Olson Construction was issued the building permit. Local architect Jack Russell of Meech, Mitchell, Robins and Associates is credited with the innovative design.
At a cost of $40,000, the new civic building was completed in 1959. At that time, the Chamber of Commerce signed a 20-year lease with the City.
The grand opening in October was attended by Premier Ernest Manning, local dignitaries such as Mayor Harry Veiner and various government representatives.
The lobby featured displays from prominent local industries such as Hycroft China, Alberta Linseed Oil, Ogilvie Flour, Maple Leaf Milling, Dominion Glass, Alta Glass, and Medicine Hat Brick and Tile.
When it opened, three other businesses shared the building with the Chamber of Commerce, the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede, the Victorian Order of Nurses, and occupying the second floor, the Credit Bureau of Medicine Hat.
The Chamber and the Credit Bureau already had an on-going working relationship.
In the early 1950s, credit extended to ‘Hat consumers had risen to a record high. Local retailers wanted to know how local consumers paid their accounts.
Promoted and supported by the Chamber of Commerce, the Credit Bureau of Medicine Hat was established in 1953 by local businessman Len McGee and soon operated alongside the Chamber in their former building on South Railway Street. Consequently, the move was a joint undertaking.
In 1981, the Chamber relocated to the historic second street Canadian Bank of Commerce building, at that time, City-owned. Twelve years later, the city listed the civic building on Sixth Avenue and Fourth Street SE for $119,000.
With lesser renovation costs as an incentive, the Chamber gave up the $1.00/year city lease for the bank building and for $110,000 purchased the newly listed building and moved back to its old digs.
Of the utmost importance, the Chamber wanted to remain part of the downtown core.
The modern Chamber of Commerce building is a unique downtown landmark and continues to reflect a successful future for Medicine Hat and South-east Alberta.
Sally Sehn is a past Member of the Heritage Resources Committee, City of Medicine Hat.
