Spur Line Toll House

Canmore, AB, Canada

Located on the Spur Line in Canmore next to the Engine Bridge, this family home is at an important intersection of local and national history. With the admission of British Columbia to the nation in 1871, Canada agreed to build a transcontinental railroad to connect and unite the country.  With the Kicking Horse Pass chosen, Canmore was founded to house additional engines to help trains over the steep mountain pass. Later, after coal was discovered, the mine was set up to supply trains and homes. The Spur Line linked the mine to the transcontinental railroad with a device set up nearby to ensure that carriages were not overloaded.

Spur Line Toll House gets its inspiration from this historic setting and the breathtaking mountains that surround the town. The front of the home reflects the chaotic, random and organic growth of the old mining buildings and tipple towers while the dynamic rear of the home speaks to the trusting plate tectonics of the mountains.

Natural finishes inside and out echo the environment and the humble nature of the old mining town. Heavy timbers, unfinished thermally treated siding and moss rock retain their true colours and natural protections. Moss rock continues to the interior and wraps around the dramatic stairs alluding to old mine shafts. The contemporary style allows expansive windows that frame the mountains and the changing weather blurring the lines between inside and out.