Effort to save historic Eamon’s gas station grows

Plans are in the works to save the historic Eamon's Bungalow Camp in northwest Calgary.

The mid-century service station — with its signature art deco sign — was a fixture for many years at what is now Crowchild Trail just past Stoney Trail. Built in 1949, it also featured a restaurant and cabins.

But now the city-owned land is being converted to a park and ride lot for the northwest LRT extension.

Earlier this week a city committee recommended the building be moved and stored until there is a plan to rescue it. And the city said the iconic sign will be incorporated into the new LRT station at Tuscany.

On Thursday night heritage groups in the city met to hear ideas for saving the building.

"This is just some of the conversation that in my opinion should have happened a number of years ago. And so we're starting that now," said Donna Zwicker, who speaks for the Calgary Communities Round Table.

"There's still plenty of time for the city to be making some decisions about where they're going to go with this and so we've started now the conversation publicly."

Recommendations for the building will go to city council in November.

Bob Everett, who owned the property from the mid-80s to the late-90s, said he is determined to see the building saved.

"Now I mentioned in an article recently I literally would chain myself to the building if there is a wrecking ball and you know and I hope, you know, that I'm not as disposable as the building because if I am then we're both gone," he said.