By Charles Lefebvre

Former I-XL Brick Plant location becoming heritage park

Aug 1, 2017 | 4:51 PM

REDCLIFF, AB — The site of the historic I-XL Brick Plant in Redcliff is being transformed into something the entire community can enjoy.

The former plant on Mitchell Street, which was demolished last November, is being turned into a heritage park. Crews have been working on the site on Mitchell Street for the past two weeks.

“These last couple of weeks, we have effectively done the final grooming of the profiles, put in the trails and put in the foundations for the future equipment displays, the stage and the streetlights,” said Malcolm Sissons, president of I-XL.

The park will contain several pieces of equipment from the plant, which was built in 1912. A mixer The park also features a kiln and a chimney which remained from the demolition last fall.

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When the plant was demolished, it was one of the last visible links to an industry which was a major part of Redcliff’s past. Redcliff had two other brick plants in the past, on Main Street and Broadway Avenue, and with the Mitchell Street plant, produced millions of bricks which were used around the world.

Sissons says he hopes the park will give residents an appreciation of Redcliff’s history.

“I think it’s important to commemorate this part of the town’s industrial heritage,” he said. “A lot of Redcliff residents worked at one of the different brick plants over the years, so it’s a big part of this community’s history.”

Sissons says he expects the park to open in the fall. The Town of Redcliff will maintain the park.