Rutledge Hangar: A century-old aviation marvel now a vibrant hub for Calgary's youth

Amidst Calgary's bustling Renfrew neighbourhood lies a grandiose marvel that dates back to the roaring ‘20s—the magnificent Rutledge Hangar.

Situated on a vast 1.2-hectare plot of land, this three-story building features exposed Douglas fir wood and roof decking, which is a rarity in modern architecture.

The hangar holds great heritage value for its representation of early twentieth-century airplane hangar construction techniques in Canada.

Additionally, its significance extends to its association with the establishment of commercial aviation in Calgary, as it was part of the city's first publicly operated airport, the Stanley Jones Airport.

The Rutledge Hangar was groundbreaking for the lights that it had to allow planes to land or take off at night, which was a significant development in Calgary's history

Josh Traptow, chief executive officer at Heritage Calgary, notes that the Rutledge Hangar is “the last remaining structure of the airport there.”

Short-lived as an airport

The hangar was constructed by Renfrew Air Service in 1929. However, within just two years of its establishment, the company ceased its operations due to the public's fears surrounding air travel and the onset of a bleak economy.

“Of course, the Great Depression happened and then the war happened. After the war, they realized that they needed more space. And so that's when the airport, up on McCall Way, which is where the current airport is, came to be,” Traptow says.

Although the hangar served a variety of purposes, including as part of a short-lived airmail service and a training site for Royal Canadian Air Force personnel during the Second World War, Traptow says it has not been used as an aviation facility since the end of the war.

The fact that the hangar, as Calgary's first airport, is still standing is a rarity in itself.

“For most cities, their first airports are long gone because it's valuable inner city land. But the fact that this hanger, and even the green space around it, continue to be in use to this day makes it significant for that reason,” Traptow says.

It’s hard to visualize the past now that the area is considered inner city.

“Given the development that Calgary has seen over the years, to know that back in the ‘30s, on the north side of Calgary, there would have just been prairie,” Traptow adds.

Since then, the Rutledge Hangar has undergone extensive renovations and upgrades to transform it into a hub for the community.

The Rutledge Hangar is currently home to the Trellis Society—a dedicated organization that specializes in working with children, youth, and families to unlock their full potential and provide the necessary support to help them grow.

“It's a good example of adaptive reuse,” Traptow says, adding the hangar now serves an organization that adds tremendous value to our city.

The Trellis Society has a rich history dating back to 1939. The society was gifted the Rutledge Hangar to provide support to young people in Calgary whose families were tied up in contributions to the war effort, according to Trellis Society CEO Jeff Dyer.

“Believe it or not, kids were not getting the support they needed. And so we had a club location in Renfrew that was a safe spot for young people to have the support they needed to thrive in community,” Dyer says.

“Fast forward many, many, many years and you see, in a lot of ways, that's what we've continued to do.”

The Rutledge hangar was once used as a location to hide planes away and now houses a gym that is accessible to kids throughout the day.

The building also serves as a community space for “hosting events, hosting gatherings, hosting teachings, and cultural interactions, whether they be Indigenous or newcomer based,” says Dyer.

Meeting the community’s needs

Attached to the old hangar is an administrative hub and an educational centre where preschool and kindergarten activities take place, as well as mental health support for young people and their families.

“That hub is our favourite spot. It's the best location that we've got in the city and it's a vibrant hub of support for young people,” Dyer says.

The renovation process was not without its challenges. The organization had to fix immediate issues with the building envelope, heating, ventilation system, and weaknesses in the structure that no one would notice with the naked eye, Dyer says.

However, the experience had its positives.

“It was a really cool experience for us to reframe what we felt the community space needs would be for the next 30 years because that building has been there for years,” Dyer explains.

“When we thought about going forward, we slowed right down and started to connect more with our Indigenous community.”

The organization worked closely with the Indigenous community to include a room specific to Indigenous ways.

With a commitment to flexibility, the Trellis Society worked to allow each space to be used for multiple purposes.

Positive community response

Despite the hangar's historical value and significance, the community has accepted the Trellis Society with nothing but positive remarks.

“It's been entirely positive. I think that because we've been there such a long time, that we are a part of the community. If anything, we probably operate quietly and people don't know about the magic that's happening underneath that facility,” Dyer says.

The organization has received support from stakeholders and the community, and the space has become a vibrant hub of support for young people.

The success of this community centre has inspired Dyer and the Trellis Society to hopefully expand the project and take it to other neighbourhoods in the future.

“We feel what we're doing there is pretty spectacular. So it will in some ways be the inspiration for us to echo out into other neighbourhoods,” Dyer adds.

The Trellis Society is currently considering the possibility of renovating an old portable building located on the same property, with the aim of turning it into another community centre that will replicate the success of the Renfrew centre.

Preserving a historical monument

However, Dyer and his team are not content with simply replicating the Renfrew project.

“We're always asking ourselves the question, ‘Should we tie housing to the locations that we find ourselves in?’ Because there's such a need for housing in our community and in our city,” Dyer says.

“We do wonder if spaces like that should be woven into not just community centres, but also into increased density for a vibrant neighbourhood space of multi-family housing.”

This would create a win-win situation, with the community centre serving as a hub for activities and the housing serving as an affordable option for those who need it.

Today, the Rutledge Hangar is no longer just a historical monument. It is a vibrant community centre and hub of support for young people, serving as an inspiration for others.

“It's a building that tells a history that we've been around a really long time and been able to reanimate a space that was once set aside for a sad part of Calgary's history to now be a part of the vibrancy going forward,” Dyer says.