Airdrie Council gave three readings to Bylaw No. B-25/2022, a bylaw designating the 1959 Airdrie Water Tower as a Municipal Historic Resource, declaring the water tower a resource worthy of protection and conservation, at its regular meeting on June 6. 

Horton's Steel Works built the Airdrie Water Tower in 1959, and it was originally used to store water for emergency use. The steel tower, which stands 21.8 meters tall and holds 189,270 litres (50,000 US gallons), epitomizes mid-century infrastructure. After a big reservoir was completed in 1972, the tower became obsolete, and by 1977, it was no longer in operation. 

“Airdrie’s cultural heritage has been shaped by its history as a railway and farming community,” said Michelle Jorgensen, Culture and Heritage Strategist. “This designation will help us preserve and celebrate this history.” 

“It’s important to preserve the built history that we have left in Airdrie,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “This is the second designation for Airdrie in as many years and I believe that historical resources like this help future generations understand where we came from.” 

A Request for Proposal (RFP) was released in the spring after Council approved money to repaint and refurbish the Water Tower in the 2022 Budget. The RFP will most likely be given in June, with work beginning in July 2022. 

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