2024 Webinars
Heritage Conservation Branch Winter Webinar Series: Historic Places – Living Places
The 2024 webinars will again showcase a variety of historic places from around Saskatchewan that are making meaningful contributions to our lives today. In these webinars, you will hear the stories of these intriguing projects and learn about the many benefits that have resulted.
Tuesday March 5, 2024
Vibank Heritage Centre, Village of Vibank
This former Ursuline convent was the architectural gem of the village when it was built in 1923. It served as a convent and girls’ school until closing in 1977. After a series of owners, the village acquired it for tax arrears in 1992. Thanks to council’s vision, it was preserved and repurposed to house the village office. Other tenants include a library, daycare, postal outlet, dance studio and a renowned restaurant. Entering its second century, the former convent is still admired as one of Vibank’s most significant buildings.
Presenter: Heath Duncan, Administrator, Village of Vibank
C.M. Glascock Building, Town of Maple Creek
A succession of automobile dealerships and a service garage were located in this building from 1909 to 2009, believed to be the longest continuous span of time a building has housed this type of business in Saskatchewan. In 2010, the building was donated to the Southwestern Saskatchewan Oldtimers’ Museum. After a century’s use as a garage, its condition could have been generously described as somewhat grimy. Undaunted, museum volunteers have worked to transform the building into an attractive exhibition, meeting and event space that has become a highly valued community amenity.
Presenter: Royce Pettyjohn, SW Sask Oldtimers’ Museum
Thursday March 7, 2024
Buffalo Child Stone
Buffalo Child Stone, called mostos-awasis asiniy by Cree people, was a huge boulder held sacred by First Nations. Its 1966 demolition during construction of the Gardiner Dam and Diefenbaker reservoir was a devastating loss for First Nations people. Most of the stone’s remains were submerged by Lake Diefenbaker, but some pieces were collected and saved. Over several years, the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre worked with the support of the provincial government to "bring home” these surviving pieces to create a space where people can learn the history and lessons of mostos-awasis asiniy, and where First Nations can reconnect with a vital part of their cultural heritage.
Presenter: Melody Wood, Special Projects Team Lead, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan
Tuesday March 12, 2024
Town of Battleford Historic Post Office Rehabilitation
For decades, Battleford’s historic post office provided an essential community service and a place for chance meetings with neighbours when downtown picking up mail. In 2015, Canada Post decided to move out of the aging building, leaving it vacant with an uncertain future. Eventually purchased and rehabilitated by a local construction firm, with space leased back to Canada Post, this landmark building is again a hub for downtown activity.
Presenter: Jesse Crozier, S.L. Contractors, North Battleford
General Motors Building, Regina
This building was part of the General Motors automobile assembly complex that was established in Regina in 1928. For a brief time, the plant was Regina’s largest industrial employer, capable of producing 30,000 vehicles per year. After the plant closed, GM continued to use the building for administrative purposes until 1967. A series of commercial tenants followed. It was recently acquired by Nicor Group, a Regina property development and management firm with a sizeable portfolio of heritage buildings. In this presentation, the developer will walk us through the business and technical considerations for rehabilitating a heritage building.
Presenter: Curtis Lax, Project Manager, Nicor Group
Registrations:
- All registrations are free and available for single or multiple days.
- Deadline for registrations is Friday, March 1, 2024.
- Pre-registration required.