Volume 26 Issue 1 Spring 2014
SASKATCHEWAN’S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE MAGAZINE
Sukanen Fictional Village, Real Community
Western Development Museum
PUBLICATIONS AGREEMENT #41484517
Turns 65 Old Mission Community Church Restored in
Norquay
Saskatoon MHAC Award Recipients
Heritage Partnership Fund FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED HERITAGE INITIATIVES If you have a project that needs money to Help Heritage Happen in your community next spring or summer visit our website right away or call the office at 306-359-0933 or at 1-877-903-0933.
Here's a brief description of each of the four grants. Heritage Site Consultant Report Grant (Maximum $1,000) Success with any conservation project depends on its viability. AHSS supports conservation through providing grants for professional services like structural analysis, architectural design, legal consultation, and construction cost analysis to provide building owners the opportunity to more accurately gauge the feasibility, cost, and methodology for site conservation and re-use.
Heritage Forums Grant (Maximum $1,500) This matching grant program is intended to help community-based organizations to defray costs of hosting conferences, presentations, panel discussions, seminars, workshops, awards ceremonies, and other educational forums that encourage or empower people of the community or province to acknowledge, preserve and/or promote their built historic and cultural heritage.
Heritage Publications Grant (Maximum $1,500) This matching grant is intended to help community-based organizations to defray the cost of printing materials that promote public interest in membership, local programs and activities.
Heritage Communications Grant (Maximum $200) This matching grant is intended to help the Society's community-based organizations to defray the cost of printing brochures or programs that promote public participation in local forums like conferences, presentations, panel discussions, seminars, workshops, awards ceremonies, walking tours, and other educational forums that encourage or empower people of the community or province to acknowledge, preserve and/or promote their built historic and cultural heritage.
Visit www.ahsk.ca for further details and applications.
Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan HELPING HERITAGE HAPPEN
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To reserve your space, please contact AHSS Administration 202 - 1275 Broad Street, Regina, SK S4R 1Y2 Phone: 306-359-0933 or 1-877-431-1399 Toll free Email: sahs@sasktel.net
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Any person, family or organization may subscribe to WORTH free of charge by calling (306) 359-0933 or 1-877-903-0933
toll free. Return undeliverable copies to: WORTH Magazine 202 – 1275 Broad St. Regina, Saskatchewan S4R 1Y2
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MAGAZINE is committed to controlling collection, use and disclosure of personal information provided by our readers. We may contact readers periodically, conducting market research in an effort to improve the magazine. DISCLAIMER:
The information and views set out in this magazine are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of AHSS.
SASKATCHEWAN'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE MAGAZINE
Visitors at the grand opening of the Claybank Brick Plant National Historic site received a unique view of the facility in a cart pulled by a tractor.
IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 26 ISSUE 1 SPRING 2014 WORTH Magazine is published by the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan (AHSS) Inc. Submissions to WORTH are welcomed and are assumed to be factually correct. We reserve the right to edit copy for clarity and length. Copy submission deadlines:
Sukanen: Fictional Village, Real Community ................................ 4 An Open Letter From the AHSS President ...................................... 7 Words of Wisdom from a Heritage Conservation Fundraising Veteran .......................................... 8 Western Development Museum Turns 65 ......................................... 11
Spring edition:
February 25
Summer Edition:
May 15
Saskatoon MHAC Award Recipients ... 14
Autumn Edition:
August 15
Meeting the board of directors –
Editor: Design:
Joe Ralko b-creative group
© 2009 ISSN 1926-3198
Terry Sinclair, Vice President ........ 17 Deadline for Prestigious Heritage Awards March 31 ........... 18
ON OUR COVER: A 1909 Farm House is among many buildings at Sukanen, a fictional village but real community near Moose Jaw.
Old Mission Community Church Restored in Norquay ................ 19 In The News .................................................................................. 20 The Value of Conserving Objects ................................................ 21 Brick by Brick. .............................................................................. 22
Photo by Prairie Magic.
Printed on recycled paper. Titan coated paper contains 10% recycled content. Acid and elemental chlorine free.
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Sukanen FICTIONAL VILLAGE, REAL COMMUN By Hilary Grant
The story goes that a love-struck fiancĂŠe built the Hergott Homestead for his soon-to-be wife. Yet, upon seeing the house, the young bride was so disgusted with prairie life that she quickly returned home.
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Thankfully, the house has not been so abandoned. Finely constructed, it is now a part of the Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum. The vast majority of the buildings at the Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum are period struc-
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tures that have been moved from their original site to the expansive outdoor museum. The original 10-acre site was bought in the late 1960s by the Antique Automobile Club of Saskatchewan to store and display their
ITY vehicles and farm machinery. Through volunteer efforts and generous donations, what began as a storage solution has grown into a 40-acre village, complete with a church, school, railway station and general store. The site also continues to display a varied collection of cars, machinery and other antiques, some housed in recreated interiors. The relocation of heritage buildings at risk has a long history in Saskatchewan and could itself be considered a part of our heritage. One of the first heritage conservation projects undertaken in Western Canada was relocating the Old Stone School to the University of Saskatchewan campus in 1911. Constructed in 1887, the Old Stone School is associated with the foundation of public education in Saskatchewan.
Diefenbaker Homestead moved to The Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum in2004.
The International Order of the Daughters of the Empire led its relocation and with stonemason Lorne Thompson supervised the numbering of each stone as the school was dismantled and subsequently rebuilt. It was restored and established as a school museum in 1967. Many of the buildings at Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum similarly speak to the development of Saskatchewan, particularly the harsh conditions of settler life. Representing a village from the early to mid-twentieth century, Sukanen
Village allows you to go back in time and contemplate the hardship faced by our ancestors. The twelve by sixteen foot 1886 Dalrymple Homestead, moved from Archydale in 1978, was the first house located in the Moose Jaw area and a resting place for north-bound travelers. The small one-room Bill Grimshaw Homestead House, Grimshaw's home from 1906 to 1956, is still outfitted with its original sparse interior. It is easy to imagine the discomfort felt during long, cold winters, Grimshaw moving the stove close to his bed so he would not have to get up to add wood to the fire.
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Other buildings are younger, but equally evocative. The 1909 farmhouse, donated to the museum and hailing from Parkberg area of Saskatchewan, is planned to one day be surrounded by an entire farmstead. Its fully refurbished interior, however, is missing the nursery or children's room typical of homes of the period. It is hard to believe that a child was even born in the house. Yet what makes the story sensational is that it is believed that no kittens, puppies or other farm animals ever survived on the farm either. At Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum such buildings find new life. They are all now a part of a living museum, almost everything on-site being fully operational. During the annual Threshing Bee, organ music can be heard drifting from the 1907 Tilney United Church. The museum's 1892 Babcock Drum Cyclinder Printing Press, once used to print the Gravelbourg Star, and 1915 Intertype Linecasting Machine were once used to print posters for the museum. It is not uncommon to spot a tractor pull or blacksmith hard at work, and visitors enjoy being able to come close and experience buildings and objects, contrary to many traditional museums. Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum hosts a series of events throughout the year, from the Antiques, Collectables and Vehicle Parts Show in March to the Haunted Village Halloween Event in October. A centerpiece of all this activity is the striking 1913 McCabe's Grain Elevator. Members of the Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum had been searching for a grain elevator to complete the village and found a suitable candidate west of Eskbank at Mawer. When the owner generously donated it to the museum, the 68-foot 6
tall elevator, capable of holding 19,000 bushels, began the treacherous 80 kilometers journey south-east to its new home. Yet the difficult move was completed with such care the grain elevator was unharmed and it barely disrupted the calibration of its scales. Respecting its layered history, the Mccabe's Grain Elevator has been repainted with the names of three of its previous owners: Victoria Brand Feed, Grain & Seed, Warner Grain Company Ltd. and Mccabe Grain Co. Similarly to any other village, Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum continues to evolve. For example the fire collections, dedicated to all aspects fire-fighting heritage, are currently being redisplayed. Located twelve kilometers South of Moose Jaw on the No. 2 Highway, airplanes from 15 Wing Moose Jaw Air Base buzz overhead and jolt you
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back into the present. They remind you that the museum is not an authentic village but a recreation. Yet you cannot help but still feel a sense of community at this unique heritage site. Created by a dedicated group of volunteers, their continued efforts bring the museum to life. The Hergott Homestead, an unfit home for a finicky bride, has found a home of its own and is part of a wonderful place to be. The Sukanen Ship and Pioneer Village Museum will re-open the middle of May. You can learn more at www.sukanenmuseum.ca. W Hilary Grant has been passionate about architectural heritage all her life, is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and is currently on the Board of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada.
AN OPEN LETTER from the PRESIDENT
Dear Friends in Built Heritage, The purpose of this brief note is to share some exciting news with you as the Architectural Society of Saskatchewan (AHSS) enters our second quarter century. 2014 will be year of change for us. It'll be a year of fine tuning our programs and projects. We've opted to redeploy some funding to support more programs and, as a result, for the time being, that means Worth will only be published three times this year. Our goal is to generate advertising revenue and corporate sponsorship. This is an open invitation to you our members and supporters. We're looking for passionate individuals to either help sell advertising for the magazine, our soon-to-be-expanded presence on the World Wide Web or lead a new campaign for corporate sponsorship. Feel free to contact me directly. We're open to all ideas! In the next few weeks, we will be publishing an on-line heritage conservation directory. It is being designed as an update of the print product called reNEW and produced in 2008 with the then assistance of Heritage Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan government. As this edition of Worth was being prepared, we were in the process of receiving responses to a short-form Request for Proposal (RFP) from Saskatchewan companies to produce the search-
able directory. There will be link on our website once it “goes live” so visit us often. In addition, we have collaborated with a wide variety of groups including the Saskatchewan Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy and the Regina and District Home Builders' Association to have a “roundtable” March 26 on Heritage Conservation, Education and Training. To learn more, visit our website. In the future, we'd like to move our Annual General Meeting to the third week of February from March to coincide with Heritage Week. It makes sense, but we still need to work out some logistics like determining how quickly we can get our financial statements back from our Auditor to produce our Annual Report. Also in the near future, we're hoping to deploy a social media strategy. Exact platforms have yet to be finalized but for the time being we are considering: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and perhaps even Pinterest. All will be linkable through our website. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or any of the other board of directors to share any ideas, concerns or opportunities for improvement, Yours Truly, Rod Stutt, President, Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan
Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan HELPING HERITAGE HAPPEN
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Words of Wisdom from a
Part II By Joe Ralko
Frank Korvemaker retired in 2013 after 46 years of work in the field of heritage resource conservation, documentation and development. Worth magazine published a profile on Frank in the winter edition (Dec., 2013) and as promised is following up with this article in which he shares words of wisdom as a fundraiser and project proponent for almost half a century.
Frank Korvemaker was among the proud recipient of a brick from the Claybank Brick Plant at its grand opening ceremony. 8
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“MONEY always has been a key factor in preserving our architectural heritage,” Korvemaker said in an interview with Worth magazine. “With it, we have moved some considerable mountains. Without it (money), we suffered some major losses. When all is said and done, money still talks and is one of the key components to a successful heritage initiative.” Another key fundraising, he said, is having the right project, at the right time, with the right people. “It took over 25 years for the Bell Barn project at Indian Head to get off the ground because that critical formula was missing one or more components. The Claybank Brick Plant project also took at least a decade to get off the ground. Every project needs one or more key people – more is generally better, as they can share the work load.”
Local people are critical. “In both Indian Head and Claybank I came 'from away' and can only provide so much support. Without dedicated local support, a project faces an almost insurmountable obstacle.” Timing can also be problematic. “Other community projects may take priority in terms of people's time
LESSON # 1: Those who don't ask, don't get. “Even if the “ask” seems outrageous, try anyway. If the project is worthwhile, it will eventually come to fruition, though perhaps not as originally envisioned.” In 1969, at age 22, Korvemaker applied for a Canada Council Grant
1954-67) and Ontario (where I worked for Parks Canada from 1967-69, and was based out of Ottawa). All three said “no thanks, you're not one of our residents. So I wrote to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, explained the situation, and the feds worked out a deal whereby I got a loan from Ontario.”
The historic Bell Barn at Indian Head was collapsing so a group built an exact replica a few yards from the original site (featured on cover of Worth at left) and seen from the air on Page 10).
and financial resources. Melville has grappled with incorporating an elevator into its historic Town Hall/Opera House for a number of years, but other projects, like a new Communiplex and rehabilitation of the CNR Station, have captured the spotlight and the public's imagination.” Korvemaker was asked to share some of his lessons learned over the years.
to excavate a third season at the Roma Site, P.E.I. “It was originally rejected due to a technical error by the Council, but I appealed, and got the grant. While it covered all of my costs, it did not include a salary for me, so I went a whole summer with no income. “ That made returning to university in Regina in the fall a very difficult financial exercise for him. “Then I was also refused a student loan by Saskatchewan (where I was to study), Quebec (where I lived from
LESSON # 2: Came directly out of Lesson # 1 above. When you get rejected, don't waste time dealing with minor bureaucrats (like me), go directly to the top. The bureaucrats will eventually get the file, but have fewer options to reject the applicant, he said. “If you start at the bottom, you stay at the bottom.”
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The kilns at the Claybank Brick Plant, aerial view of the new Bell Barn at Indian Head (far left) and Frank Korvemaker just before he retired in 2013 after 46 years.
LESSON # 3: Be Patient
against many brick walls over the “Project propoyears, I realized nents have to be very that I prefer to patient, and be work with people prepared for some who basically long-term lobbying support my vision within the commuof heritage consernity and elsewhere vation, rather than for support.” fighting against Over the years, them at every turn. Korvemaker graduKorvemaker Frank Korvemaker just before he ally came to realize said some people retired in 2013 after 46 years. that he was basically and organizations equivalent to a missionary, have “zero interest” in preserving not a parish priest. their own heritage, let alone the “I had a vision and a mission and country's heritage treasures. worked hard to convert the masses. “Hence, I would rather work with However, once any specific mission people who would take over and was accomplished, I was not the right rehabilitate endangered structures, person to tend to the needs of these than spend my years arguing battles preserved heritage sites on a day to that I know I can't win.” day basis – that was a role to be He also is also concerned about the undertaken by local converts (the amount of fake “restoration” that is parish priest and flock),” he conundertaken across the continent in cluded. order to achieve “maintenance free” “I still see myself as a heritage heritage buildings. evangelist, and have no problem with “Wooden siding is regularly tilting at windmills, though now I replaced with vinyl or metal siding, tend to be more selective as to which and wooden roofs are being replaced mills I aim for. After hitting my head with sheet metal, while original 10
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historic windows that have lasted a century or two are replaced with sealed units that are of inappropriate design and have an expected life span of no more than 25 years,” Korvemaker said. “A healthy body requires living a healthy life style, not cosmetic surgery. Well, a healthy heritage building requires undertaking proper maintenance, and that means repairing and repainting, not replacement with short-term miracle products. “Fake is fake.” He said people who visit our heritage buildings know when the real thing has been compromised. “That, in turn detracts from the heritage value of our community, province and country. Our national heritage treasures, and Saskatchewan's built heritage is included in this, deserve to be better respected.” W Joe Ralko is a Regina-based author who has been writing about Saskatchewan people, places and events for more than 30 years. Photos courtesy of Frank Korvemaker
Celebrating 65 Years at the Western Development Museum By Joan Champ and Leslee Newman
So much has changed since the Western Development Museum began serving as the keeper of Saskatchewan's collective heritage 65 years ago.
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The need to preserve the machinery of the province's agricultural heritage before it was scavenged for scrap metal during the Second World War was the impetus for the creation of the Museum. Provincial legislation in 1949 made it official. Since then, the Museum has collected over 80,000 artifacts that represent a wide array of Saskatchewan stories. Today, the WDM's collecting has evolved to reflect more recent decades in Saskatchewan's history – everything from Smart phones to aerial drones.Included in its artifact collection are 17 original buildings. Most are located in the Heritage Farm & Village at the North Battleford WDM, but others can be seen at the WDMs in Saskatoon, Yorkton and Moose Jaw as well. Here are the stories of three of those buildings.
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Settler's Log Home Until it was moved into the Yorkton WDM, few people had ever crossed the threshold of the small log home nestled in a bluff of trembling aspen a few kilometres northwest of Theodore, Saskatchewan. For years, the home sat abandoned and at the mercy of the elements. That changed dramatically in October 2002, when the building was transported to the Yorkton WDM. In 1899 Dymetri (Metro) and Elena Penteluk and their three children left their homeland in Bukovina, Austria
for Canada's North West Territories. This humble structure was their first home, built quickly with materials at hand. One hundred years after the Penteluks felled the trees to build this home, the present-day land owners offered it to the Museum. It took a great deal of work to move the deteriorated building from the overgrown site into the “Winning the Prairie Gamble� gallery at the Yorkton WDM. After careful steps to eradicate unwelcome four-, six- or eight-legged
Saskatchewan's First Observatory was moved to the Moose Jaw WDM in 1989.
Inspired by the impending return of Halley's Comet in 1910, a group of amateur astronomers in Regina formed the Saskatchewan Astronomical Society. 12
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house guests, Museum staff and volunteers began the restoration work. Shingles were replaced. Walls were replastered and whitewashed, and the look of the original dirt floor was replicated. A piche (oven) was built, and WDM artifacts furnished the home. Visitors to the WDM can now step inside and imagine what life was like for early Ukrainian setters who had nothing but those log walls between them and the biting prairie wind.
Saskatchewan's First Observatory Inspired by the impending return of Halley's Comet in 1910, a group of amateur astronomers in Regina formed the Saskatchewan Astronomical Society. In 1913, an observatory, the first of its kind in Western Canada, was built on the roof of Regina Collegiate, later called Central Collegiate, a public high school. The observatory excluded light from outside sources and provided a wind-free environment. The domed roof was light, easy to turn and its height accommodated a long telescope. The building was unheated because air turbulence affected the image. Red lights were used inside because red light does not affect the human eye's adaptation to the dark. The Society was active for a number of years until the First World War when membership declined. Maintenance of the observatory was neglected, and in 1938 it was removed from the Collegiate's roof and sold. After the Second World War, the Society was revived, eventually as the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Regina Centre. The Society regained ownership of the observatory in 1983 and in 1989 it was moved to the Moose Jaw WDM.
In 1983, the WDM moved a Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevators from Keatley to its Heritage Farm & Village in North Battleford.
Prairie Landmark Towering above the landscape, a beacon for prairie travellers, the grain elevator came to symbolize the Canadian West. With the march of time and changes in the grain handling system, wooden elevators are now rapidly disappearing from the prairies. Intent on saving this quintessential symbol of prairie farm life, in 1983 the WDM moved a Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator from the village of Keatley, 60 kilometres northeast of the Battlefords to its Heritage Farm & Village in North Battleford. Built in 1928, the 23 metre (75 foot) wooden crib Wheat Pool elevator No. 889 dominated the Keatley horizon for 55 years.
A crew of 18 men with saws, hammers and loads of lumber erected the wooden crib elevator in just three weeks. The structure consisted of the elevator, the driveway and the office-engine room. The crew laid the concrete foundation, and then built walls sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of tones of grain. Wood crib construction used 2x6s or 2x8s spiked together on the lower walls. Upper walls used 2x4s. The crew nailed wood siding over the exterior. The crew's last job was to paint the elevator. Construction cost in 1928 was $14,000. The cost for the WDM to maintain these and other important, and
sometimes iconic, symbols of Saskatchewan's heritage is significant. In the summer of 2013, for example, the WDM spent $50,000 just to paint the grain elevator at the North Battleford WDM, giving it a new lease on life. All in a day's work as the Museum delivers its 65-year-old mandate to preserve the many stories, artifacts, and buildings of Saskatchewan. W Joan Champ is the Executive Director of the Western Development Museum. Leslee Newman retired in 2013 after an impressive 40-year career with the WDM in a variety of roles, including her most recent position as the Museum's Education/Extension Coordinator.
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2013-14 Saskatoon M
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he Municipal Heritage Awards program is a bi-annual program, presented by the City of Saskatoon through its Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC). The awards are open to any business, professional, or individual that can demonstrate a significant contribution to heritage preservation in the city of Saskatoon. Nominations are opened to the general public in the fall, after which time they're reviewed by an independent panel of judges representing MHAC, the architecture and design industry, and the Saskatoon Heritage Society. “The Heritage Awards acknowledge some of the considerable efforts being put forth to ensure the preservation and restoration of buildings of heritage value in our community,” said Carla Duval-Tyler, MHAC Chair. “These awards recognize what
is often an immense amount of personal energy, time, and a financial commitment for something that benefits the entire city. Awards were presented at City of Saskatoon's Council Meeting on February 10, 2014. The Restoration-Exterior category recognizes the recovery or representation of a historic place or time while protecting heritage value. Nutana Collegiate Institute is the 2013-201 4winner. The intent of the renovation of the 100 year old building was to dramatically improve the condition and the quality living environment while maintaining the historic aspects and qualities of the facility. Historic features of this project included the replacement of the exterior windows
with a sympathetic design vinyl windows, masonry repointing and replacement of overhead power and telephone lines with new underground services. The A.L.Cole Pumphouse received an honourable mention in this category. The Pumphouse Restoration project was intended to make the building accessible to potential tenants, remove debris, remove items of no interpretive value and undertake building envelope improvements to mitigate further decay of the structure. It was important to support and strengthen downtown / Riversdale relationships to the Riverfront. In the Adaptive Re-Use and Sensitive Addition Categories, Affinity Credit Union Campus took home the prize.
For more informaton:
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HAC Award Recipients
Affinity Credit Union recognized the importance of recycling something old and viewed it as a large step toward sustainable design. The overall goal was to provide a high quality, energy performance,
“Class A� office building for Affinity to use as their corporate headquarters. The former Wilson School brings together the administrative staff from four Affinity Credit Union facilities throughout the city. The original 1928 building had to have structural upgrades to the four slabs and columns. The project now serves as an office building for approximately 200 administration staff with 170 parking spaces. The Heritage Space Award was presented to the Stonebridge Special Use Parks. The Stonebridge Special Use Parks are intended to preserve
and protect the remnant Moose Jaw Trail in a natural setting while commemorating its significance in Saskatoon's history. As well, it is intended to serve the recreational needs of Stonebridge residents by providing a pathway system and children's play area, as well as interpret the Trail. The challenge was to provide a meaningful experience for park users through nondestructive means that minimised visual intrusion. An award for Education was presented to the Saskatoon Heritage Society, Don Kerr, Editor for the Saskatoon Heritage Review an annual publication of the Saskatoon Heritage Society. By providing an avenue for the publication of local history articles and stories, the Review encourages research into our city's history and architecture and educates the public about our buildings and our heritage. The magazine is made available to the public locally through bookstores, gift shops and libraries. W Submitted by the Saskatoon MHAC
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Heritage Forum Held in Saskatoon ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, investment dollars are flowing into historic town centres as businesses, householders, shoppers and tourists make these traditional neighbourhoods their destination of choice. Local governments have a key role in ensuring that their communities benefit from this growing trend. The 2014 Heritage Forum for Municipal Officials presented by the Heritage branch of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport was held Feb. 21 in Saskatoon.
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The Forum critically evaluated 10 revitalization strategies that capitalize on the unique character and strengths of historic downtowns (see related Story on Page x). The Forum sessions provided delegates with the knowledge they need to implement successful revitalization strategies in their own municipalities. Keynote Speaker Jon Linton is a certified management consultant with over 30 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing and economic development in
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over 600 communities in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean. He has worked with municipalities of all sizes to develop economic development strategies; municipal branding, tourism and marketing plans; sustainability and community improvement plans; and arts, culture and heritage strategies. He was one of the original consultants to the Heritage Canada Main Street initiative in the early 1980s, and wrote a training manual for the program entitled Economic Development on Main Street. He is currently the book review editor and a columnist for Municipal World magazine, and a Faculty Advisor to the George Brown College Management Consulting Program. In the afternoon workshops were held under the theme of: “Developing Your Strategy – Three Conversations”. Conversation 1: Identifying Your Community Narrative – What unique assets and experiences can your community offer that sets it apart and gives it a competitive advantage? Conversation 2: Developing the Plan – Frameworks for developing an economic devel-
opment strategy that leverages a community's assets and strengths. Conversation 3: Overcoming Barriers to Implementation The Saskatchewan Professional Planners Institute has accredited this event for five learning units for professional development. The Heritage Saskatchewan Forum and Annual General Meeting, entitled The Landscapes of Living Heritage, was also held in Saskatoon the following day. Lisa Prosper, Director at the Centre of Cultural Landscape, Willowbank (Niagara, Ont.) led a discussion on Cultural Landscapes while Dale Jarvis, an intangible cultural specialist from Newfoundland, engaged delegates with discussions around intangible heritage. Saturday's luncheon program included the unveiling of “Regeneration on Main Street”. The film was produced by Heritage Canada The National Trust and outlines the Main Street activity currently occurring in Saskatchewan. W Source: Rewrite of Heritage Saskatchewan and government material promoting the 2014 Heritage Forum for Municipal Officials.
MEET the BOARD of DIRECTORS
Terry Sinclair - Vice President
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erry, who was born in Regina, completed high ern Development Museum on the British Commonschool in Prince Albert, attended university in wealth Air Training Plan. both Saskatoon and Regina, and now is a retired He conceived, researched and organized the provincial government employee is Vice President of Victoria Cross Recognition Program which marked the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan the location of the Saskatchewan homes or (AHSS). workplaces of the Commonwealth's highest decoraHe was a founding member of Heritage Saskatchetion for valour. He also wrote a companion volume wan, a new umbrella organization that will encomfor this program. This program was unique in pass all of the province's heritage provincial cultural Canada. Because of this Terry was asked to particiorganizations, served as the transitional President of pate in the History Channel's production of “Men of Heritage Saskatchewan and continues to be active on Valour”, broadcast across the country. Further, he its board of directors as well. was the provincial government's representative on “I'm involved in AHSS because its mission is to the World War I Memorial Committee. educate the public about the importance of built Sinclair has served as the Saskatchewan repreheritage (of all types) and because it acts to preserve sentative of the Society for the study of Architecture structures throughout the province,” said Sinclair. in Canada and was a member of the British-based “It (AHSS) fills a very wide gap left by the provinWorld Ship Trust. cial government. AHSS is proactive in the heritage “I think that the greatest challenge for heritage in field rather than re-active as government has become general and heritage architecture in particular, is to of late.” advance the idea of the importance of these reSinclair earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double sources,” he said. major in history and archaeology which as he says “We, in Saskatchewan, are a full generation lead to an extensive career in heritage in Saskatchebehind Canadians in the eastern part of the country wan. He worked on archaeology digs, as a heritage (perhaps two) and way behind those in the United researcher in the provincial government, heritage States and Europe. We simply do not understand advisor for the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Office, our legacy, the knowledge of where we came from, heritage planner for the Meewasin Valley Authority the ability to integrate our heritage resources in our in Saskatoon and was general manager of Governevery-day lives. We fail to see that reduce, reuse and ment House in Regina for two years. recycle applies to our built heritage, that "new" is Terry is most proud of his work not always better (indeed may not with veterans in preserving, last as long) than old. Further, Architectural interpreting and marking Saswe do not see that heritage Heritage Society katchewan's military history. In structures tell the story of our of Saskatchewan addition to his work for the Westculture.” W HELPING HERITAGE HAPPEN
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HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE EXCELLENCE
Deadline for Prestigious Awards – March 31 The deadline for submitting applications to the jury selecting the Heritage Architecture Excellence Awards is March 31, 2014. The Awards are for projects completed during the 2013 calendar year and are bestowed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Patron of the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan. Don't be shy. Don't be late. Submit your projects to be adjudicated for the prestigious awards in one or more of the following categories: 1. Exterior Restoration - preservation or restoration of a heritage exterior. 2. Interior Conservation - preservation or restoration of a heritage interior. 3. Rehabilitation - sensitive and innovative solutions to functional and code compliance problems, retaining existing heritage character. 4. Adaptive Re-Use - sensitive upgrades and associated new construction consistent with original heritage character. 5. Sympathetic New Construction sensitive in-fill, additions, signage, detailing and replicas.
6. Landscape, Engineering and Agricultural Works - conservation or rehabilitation of building related landscapes and/or utilitarian construction that may have architectural features. 7. Education, Signage, Monuments & Interpretation Award - interpretive programs, publications, trails, signs and monuments. 8. Long-Term Stewardship of a Heritage Property - This category was created in 2009 year to recognize continuing efforts by owners to maintain their heritage property.
Since the inception of the awards in 1996, a total of 139 projects throughout the province have been recognized. Citations were presented to the project site owner, architect and general contractor in each category. During the 18th Annual awards ceremony last year, Her Honour the Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield, Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan, bestowed the prestigious Heritage Architecture Excellence Award to two projects each from Moose Jaw, Regina and Saskatoon and one each from Moosomin, Prince Albert and Wishart. The Regina Masonic Temple was honoured in 2013 for long-term stewardship.
Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan HELPING HERITAGE HAPPEN
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How the Old Mission Community Church Was Renovated By Bob Abbott In 1966, my wife, Milly and family NORQUAY, SK. - Scandinavian are going to clean a couple of piece we and I, came to the district and Town people came to Saskatchewan to the should get others to help. I'll phone of Norquay to buy grain for the district of Neewin before the commuGust and you try Mainus.” Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. I had nity of Norquay existed. They were They jumped at it. Mainus brought bought gain in many parts of the brought here by the Scandinavian a power saw and it began to start province and was always interest in Land Co. from Chicago in the years looking better. I guess this was the the local history. 1902-1906. beginning. They decided they The next day, needed a church Jake Jansen; because they didn't Melvin, Riene and have one in North Jack Wylie joined Dakota where they us. Melvin and Jack came from. A piece of worked on the land was donated by rafters, which the “Old Johnson”, a two of us, Dwayne little hillside with a and I, never thought drop of about 60 feet of going beyond the on a slope. This was patches. It wasn't ideal for a beautiful even in my mind, graveyard. but by now I couldn't The logs for the have stopped it. church were donated Pretty soon there by Thore Johnson. were logs, lumber, The expert on the nails, and flooring. Some of the local resident of Norquay who helped restore the broad axe was Eric At times we had 20 Old Mission Community Church. Fredling. T.B. to 25 volunteers. Hansen was the corner expert. Many Money came from as far away as You can find a lot of history in a neighbors took part in the building. Norway. We received a pulpit from grave yard. I visited a few and this Logs were squared and pegged. caught my interest. Gust Nystedt and the United Church in Norquay and The church, known as the Old windows, pews with padded seats family went to church here and his Mission Community Church, was parents are buried at the Community and chairs from the local convent. completed in 1908 with an interThe first service was held in July, Church. We would talk about the denominational service conducts by 1994. It took us nearly 4 years of Community Church a couple times of Nuns from the Catholic convent as work. There were 113 people at the year. By then, the trees were taking well as ministers from the Lutheran first service conducted by 5 ministers over even the graves! and Orthodox Churches. from different faiths. Since then, an In 1985, the local Kinsman Club In the grave yard, many people inter-denominational service has built a cenotaph. Then in 1990, my were buried who had lived long friend Dwayne Johnson and I went to been held each summer. Over the distances away in the early days. All years other events such as birthdays the Community Church yard and of the early records were lost or burnt cleaned a little patch and hauled it and weddings have also been celeby a fire. brated at the refurbished Community away with my pickup. Over the years, the Church started Church. We finished quickly and Dwayne to deteriorate. The roof and walls fell There are 6 churches in Norquay in said: “We might as well do this other in. The floor rotted away. addition to the Community Church. W piece before dinner.” I replied: “If we WORTH: SASKATCHEWAN'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE MAGAZINE
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IN THE NEWS
1st Round Table on Heritage Conservation Education and Training Several groups, including the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport – Heritage Branch, are working together to host the 1st round table discussion on Heritage Conservation Education and Training. The event will be March 26 at Government House. Other groups involved in the project include: Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy, Saskatchewan Architects Association, SIAST – Palliser Campus and the Regina & Region Homebuilders Association. Details of the event and the agenda will soon be available on the AHSS website. “We're very excited about participating in the event which will bring people together from all walks of life, industry and the government to talk about what's needed to support Heritage Conservation, Education and Training in Saskatchewan,” said Rod Stutt, President of the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan.
The mayors of the Town of Battleford and the City of North Battleford joined Alan Gill (centre) to help the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan celebrate its 25th anniversary when the AGM was held in North Battleford in 2012. The Annual General Meeting is returning to Moose Jaw this year.
2014 Annual Meeting March 29 in Moose Jaw The 2014 annual general meeting of the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan will take place on Saturday, March 29, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Grant Hall in Moose Jaw. See you there?
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Conservation Directory Going On-line before March 31 ReNEW was the name of the Heritage Conservation directory researched and produced in 2008 by AHSS in collaboration with the Government of Saskatchewan and the Heritage Foundation of Saskatchewan. A new, updated directory is being developed as a searchable on-line website and will be on-line before March 31. A basic listing is free. Simply contact Joe Ralko, the Society's communicareNEW was last printed and tions co-ordinator, at his distributed in 2008. home email address (jralko@myaccess.ca). There are plans to sell banner advertisements and other promotions for organizations, businesses and crafts persons later in the year. The site will be a stand alone portal but will have live links form the AHSS website.
$164,800 in Grants The Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation has awarded $164,800 to 22 initiatives from its second and final grant adjudication. Funding was provided for projects in the following categories: 18 conservation, 3 education/promotion and one special project. Individual grants ranged from $3,000 for Metis History in Southwest Saskatchewan to $15,000 for exterior rehabilitation of the Arcola Land Titles building. The complete list of recipients is available from the SHF. Grant applications are reviewed twice a year by the Foundation. Application deadlines are April 1 and Sept. 15.
Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan HELPING HERITAGE HAPPEN
C O N S E R V I N G t h e PA S T
How badly do things need to be perfect? In Ancient Greece, Yet, absurdly, at the artists falsely same time we do our beautified their best to make new things subjects. Large look old. We've all seen noses were miniexpensive jeans that are mized, deep made to look worn. wrinkles softened. Likewise, new furniture Today, we do the is given a distressed or same, using craquelure finish, so it Photoshop and can look antique. This is By Sharon Deason 21st Century verism. Botox. www.sharondeason.com On the other We have in our midst hand, verism was a built heritage that practiced in Ancient Rome. There, already has the real sculptors gave their subjects extra qualities that the wrinkles, even warts, and troubled Romans so coveted: expressions on their faces. Age, experience, Romans believed their scars gravitas. They were conveyed prestige and authority. willing to tolerate Admiring the look of something flaws, embrace deteriothat has seen the ravages of time ration, and even invite plays a large part in why we are imperfection, if it meant members of AHSS. they could preserve However, there seems to be a something that was reluctance to preserve our buildauthentic. ings, interiors, and objects unless they can be restored to a state of perfection. Original hardwood floors are torn out or covered up because of holes left by a bygone carpet's nailer strips. Original picture frames are put to storage or tossed because they are missing some of their ornament. Original historic wallpapers have been entirely stripped because a small area was damaged. We reject so much that is original.
I believe that a piece of art can look great without looking new. To help with that, here's a simple recommendation. Conservators routinely use polishing powders to rejuvenate old or damaged surfaces. Over the years I have used fuller's earth and rottenstone. But I have a new favourite: Autosol* polishing paste. Made in Germany for the automotive industry, it is available in hardware stores. I've used Autosol to buff water marks from furniture. It's also been an effective polish for dull plastic laminate, aluminum bands around vintage sinks, and the porcelain finish itself. Always do a test spot in an inconspicuous area. Value the past, lest the children get the wrong idea of what is expendable. W Sharon Deason, a Queen's University graduate, is a Saskatoon-based private conservator specializing in the restoration of decorative and gilded objects, fine frames and heritage interiors.
WORTH REMEMBERING Always do a test spot on an inconspicuous area.
Before and after-treatment photos of a restored ornament from the original picture frame of an heirloom portrait.
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NORTH AMERICAN BRICK By Frank Korvemaker - fkorvemaker@accesscomm.ca
Top and side views of engineering bricks used as window surrounds.
Brick Name:
Unknown
Brick Manufacturer:
Doukhobor Communities
Manufacture Location: Arran (North Colony), Veregin and Yorkton Date(s) of Manufacture: c.1903 - c.1935 Brick Type:
Face
Approximate Dimensions: 8 x 3 5/8 x 2Âź inches / 202 x 94 x 57mm Colour:
orangy red
Former Gromovye Community Prayer Home, erected c 1906, later relocated to Doukhobor Heritage Village, Veregin.
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Building a scove kiln at the Doukhobor Brick Works, Veregin in 1911
COMMENTS: The Doukhobor settlements that were established in NE Saskatchewan at the turn of the 20th century were distinct for their communal village formats and standard building designs. As well, at three of them brickyards were constructed to produce bricks for facing some houses, prayer homes and businesses. In addition, in order to use fewer bricks during building construction, the bricks were sometimes placed on edge, with the frog facing outward, creating an attractive geometric pattern. A number of community prayer homes in the Canora-Kamsack region have been documented with this brick pattern, as has a house in Indian Head, but with no known Doukhobor connection. W Sources: [1] Personal Communication: Jon Kalmakoff: 18 Nov. 2012; [2] Historic Photo: Doukhobor Discovery Centre Autochrome Exhibit:http://doukhobor-museum.org/exhibits/ autochrome-exhibit/autochrome-gallery/ [3] Doukhobor Brickyard, Yorkton: www.doukhobor.org/Yorkton.htm; [4] The Doukhobors at Veregin, 1911: www.doukhobor.org/Veregin-Doukhobors.htm; [5] Modern photos: Larry Easton; [6] Yorkton History and Folklore Summary: www.doukhobor.org/Veregin-Doukhobors.htm
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Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan 2013 BOARD of DIRECTORS Rod Stutt, President, Moose Jaw Al Gill, Past President, Regina Terry Sinclair, Vice President, Regina Brian Bell, Secretary, Moose Jaw
Become a Society Member. The Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan encourages, supports and rewards meaningful conservation of our built heritage. Any person, enterprise or community-based organization may apply to become a full and active member of AHSS for an annual membership fee of just $20. Fees help the Society communicate with members and provide grant funding for community-based programs and projects across Saskatchewan. To join simply complete and mail to AHSS, 202 -1275 Broad St., Regina, SK, S4R 1Y2 or visit www.ahsk.ca for information under “Join�.
Michel Fortier, Treasurer, Saskatoon Michelle Taylor, Prince Albert
Yes, I/we want to become a member of AHSS
Wally Dyck, Saskatoon Dragana Perusinovic, Regina
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Patricia Glanville, Regina
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