Edmonton wartime hangar declared historic resource

EDMONTON—An Edmonton wartime airport hangar has been declared a historic resource.

During the Second World War Edmonton’s Blatchford Field became a key facility for supplying arms and war material to Allied forces, and some of that material passed through Hangar 11, which has been declared a Municipal Historic Resource by Edmonton City Council.

Hangar 11 was built by the US Army Air Force (now the US Air Force) at Blatchford Field, later known as the Municipal Airport, in 1942. The hangar played a significant role in the Lend-Lease program that had the U.S. provide military equipment to the allies before and after it joined the war.

“It’s doubtful that the eastern front war would have been won without the military supplies provided to U.S. allies through Canada. Hangar 11 was vital in that phase of the war and is a remarkable piece of history Edmontonians can look on with pride,” City of Edmonton principal heritage planner David Johnston said in a statement.

The owners of Hangar 11 will receive a $5 million grant over a 10-year period, capped at a maximum of $500,000 a year from the City of Edmonton’s Heritage Resources Reserve to assist with rehabilitation of the building through both preservation and new development.

“The sheer scale of the building makes the cost of rehabilitation significant. The new owners are intending on repurposing the building to accommodate a mixed-use development with student housing and commercial uses. The preservation of the structure also addresses sustainability and climate change adaptation considerations, with the retention of the embodied energy in the building and the diversion of demolition materials from the landfill,” Johnston said.