A.L. Cole Pumphouse
- Regular
Description of the Historic Place
The A.L. Cole Pumphouse is a brick building, with an octagonal tower, located at River Landing along the South Saskatchewan River. Built in 1911 in the Riversdale neighbourhood, the pumphouse supplied water from the river to cool the power plant generators. The A.L. Cole Pumphouse is the last surviving remnant of the Saskatoon Power Plant.
Heritage Value
Once the Queen Elizabeth Power Station was built, the A.L. Cole Power Plant provided back-up electricity for the city until 1983. After that time the plant was decommissioned and subsequently demolished. The A.L. Cole Pumphouse however, was spared. Inside the Pumphouse, a spiral staircase leads to the pump floor, where two large pumps once operated from the ground level gallery. A large opening in the gallery floor allowed for ventilation and the installation of the pumps.
Recently, the A.L. Cole Pumphouse was renovated to highlight its unique industrial history and provide for future commercial opportunities. Work completed included the removal of some of the equipment, repairs to the exterior brickwork, replacement of windows, and heat and electrical servicing. The renovation work was undertaken to celebrate the heritage aspects and interpretive opportunities of this building and site, while providing usable tenant space for future commercial activity on the riverfront. The building received an honorable mention for restoration of its exterior under the City's Heritage Awards Program in 2014.
Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database
Character Defining Elements
Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:
- Those features that reflect the building’s industrial history such as the building’s brick façade, octagonal brick tower with crenellations and original windows;
- The form, massing and scale of the building, and its original location along the South Saskatchewan River; and
- The inscription ‘City of Saskatoon 1911’ on the building’s front facade.