EDMONTON -- The fate of a historic property in Edmonton’s Highland’s neighbourhood was decided on Wednesday.
The Concordia University of Edmonton has officially acquired the Magrath Mansion from the Braaksma family with the intention of using the space for seminars and events.
The home, originally built in 1912 by developer William Magrath for $76,000, was sold to Concordia for $1.75 million with a generous donation from the Braaksma family of $1.425 million.
“This is the biggest donation in our history,” Tim Loreman, president and vice chancellor of Concordia University, said.
“It’s kind of sad that I’ve got to get out of here,” Nellie Braaksma, owner of the Magrath mansion, said. “But, it’s just too big for me.”
Braaksma recalls buying the home with her husband just over two decades ago after spotting it while out for a run.
“I told my husband, ‘There’s this beautiful home out here but it certainly needs some paint. Why don’t we have a look at it?’”
It took about a year-and-a-half to move in, paint, change out the electricity and upgrade the sewer system.
“I really enjoyed this house,” she said. “I loved the garden, it’s my favourite.”
The structure was designated a provincial historic resource in 1975, meaning no drastic alterations could be made.
“You recognize things by their physical features,” Shirley Lowe, a local historian, explained.
“Frankly the building is worth more dead than it is alive because once you start to dismantle those features inside they’re worth a lot of money.”
“It’s going to remain very much like it was in 1912 when it was first built for the foreseeable future,” Loreman added.
HISTORY OF THE MAGRATH MANSION
The Magrath mansion was an example of wealth accumulation in a boom period for Edmonton’s economy, Lowe said. It had features no other home did, like an indoor pool, a billiard room and a telephone in every single room of the house.
However, when the Edmonton developer died, his wife was left with a giant house and no money for its upkeep.
“By 1931 the city had decided she was never going to pay her taxes and the sheriff came and pitched her out on the lawn,” Lowe said.
The city then bought a $76,000 house for $1,050 in 1933. Lowe said they left it empty for awhile, then subdivided it into suites.
In 1939 the home switched hands again and was purchased by the Catholic Archdiocese for the bishop.
The last exchange happened in 2000 when the mansion was bought by the Braaksma family for $750,000 and restored to its original state.
“It survived, which a lot of houses did not,” Lowe told CTV News.
““Properties like this one have remained,” Loreman added. “They hold stories, they hold memories including many from the Braaksma family I’m sure, that we hope to share with generations of students to come."
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Carlyle Fiset
