North on Broadmoor Boulevard from the Traffic Circle to Baseline Road, Sherwood Park
Buildings and other physical structures (tangible heritage) serve as important reminders of our past. Sherwood Park is fortunate that all four of its buildings of tangible heritage remaining from its rural past which predate its 1955 founding, are located on a section of one street dubbed Heritage Mile. These buildings are all we have and even though they may not all meet national heritage guidelines they, and associated developments, deserve respect, protection, enhancement and public attention and such is our mission.
Maurice Smeltzer homesteaded on Heritage Mile in 1892. In 1920 Maurice and his wife Eliza built the large solid brick house designated a provincial historic resource in 1986. The house and brick garages today serve as a Strathcona County visual arts centre with an adjoining arboreal garden. In 2009 an Interpretative Display of sixteen panels was erected on the site, which provides a one-stop introduction to all of the house, building, sculpture, monument and landscape features on Heritage Mile.
In 1910 the three spinster Lendrum Sisters travelled from eastern Canada to take over their dying uncle’s homestead (now Broadmoor Golf Course). It was a formidable challenge for single women in that era. They farmed until the last of them died in 1943. A sculptural representation of the three Lendrum Sisters on their Heritage Mile farmyard was unveiled in 2002.
Richard P. Ottewell arrived in Fort Edmonton in 1881. His and wife Fanny’s original log dwelling stands today at Fort Edmonton Park. The Ottewells had twelve children, became wealthy from farming, coal mining and other ventures and in 1910 built a large mansion inClover Bar overlooking the river. In 1916 one of their sons, Arthur, built the existing Ottewell Centre house on his Heritage Mile homestead. A century later a sculptural tribute on Heritage Mile was dedicated to Richard P. and Fanny Ottewell and their twelve children.
Salisbury United Church congregation had its origins in 1896 with their first church building in 1915 at what is now the freeway cloverleaf at Sherwood Park’s entrance. The original building was replaced and with freeway construction in 1964 the building was moved to its current Heritage Mile location and enlarged in 1981. An active congregation carries on the Church traditions to this day.
Monument Park celebrates Strathcona County/Sherwood Park heritage in sculpture and monument. The Lord Strathcona sculpture depicts the source of the name Strathcona. The Political Pole identifies all those who served Sherwood Park in elected political office since its 1955 origin. The Boisvert and Elzinga sculptures depict prominent examples of the many leaders identified on the Political Pole. Great Sentinel Owl sculpture uses Alberta’s official bird to commemorate one of Heritage Miles’s first homesteader families. Horse of Selene is a whimsical tribute to the ancient Greek origins of democracy.
In 1905 George, at age 16, was the first of the Smyth family to leave Ireland for Alberta. His parents and two sisters followed later and in 1911 the family purchased their farm on Heritage Mile. None of the three children ever married. Their modest 1936 farm house remains hidden by trees from Heritage Mile traffic with the balance of the homestead quarter developed as Broadmoor Centre business district.
The north end of Heritage Mile is crowned by the Rotary Club centennial wall and plaza and the Heritage Mile Society salute to volunteers sculpture. The centennial wall celebrates, in 2005, Alberta‘s centennial, Rotary International’s centennial, Sherwood Park’s semi-centennial and Heritage Mile’s 110 years. The sculpture rises eighteen feet as a permanent public expression of appreciation to volunteers past, present and future.
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Edmonton Region