City hall’s heritage advisory committee has recognized four groups for their efforts to preserve or promote history within Moose Jaw as part of the 2023 Municipal Heritage Awards program.
Coun. Crystal Froese, a council representative on the committee, and Mayor Clive Tolley handed out plaques to the winners during the March 11 regular council meeting. The awards included:
- The collection of distinction award to “the Three Sisters,” a trio of Dutch colonial-style homes — 104, 110 and 114 Oxford Street West — constructed more than 100 years ago
- The stewardship award to Prairie South School Division and A.E. Peacock Collegiate for hosting a Museum of Schools Room at the high school
- The advocacy/heritage education award to the Western Development Museum and Seniors’ Centre Without Walls Saskatchewan for their heritage presentation series
- The sympathetic new construction award to Jared and Alyssa Robinson at 65 Oxford Street West for their heritage-designed master suite and wardrobe upgrades
Collection of distinction (new category)
The Three Sisters’ homes share a unique attic diamond window and curved main window on the front second floor, while bookended with two small square windows on each side, Froese said.
“With huge welcoming front porches, these three unique homes are considered landmarks in some of the earliest photos of Moose Jaw and continue to stand the test of time,” she continued.
“There’s actually a photo of these three homes many years ago when there was hardly any homes around them. And they stand out, really, just as much now as they did back then.”
Stewardship award
Former Peacock principal Dustin Swanson and current principal Tana Arnott assembled the Museum of Schools Room and stewarded the history of community schools through the displays they created, said Froese.
The room has a collection of yearbooks, a gold-plated cane gifted to William Grayson for his time on the school board, the Order of Canada that A.E. Peacock Collegiate received in 1977, and a signed letter from Winston Churchill that acknowledged the statue of him outside the main entrance.
“There is a diverse mix of furniture and desks and historical photos, and in its own right, it’s like a Moose Jaw School Museum,” said Froese. “So we hope this nomination will encourage the school board to continue the story of the heritage of our city.”
Advocacy/heritage education award
Starting in October 2020, the WDM began monthly, provincial heritage-themed presentations by telephone seniors involved in a free telephone program that the Seniors’ Centre Without Walls Saskatchewan hosted, said Froese.
Some benefits of the program include helping reduce seniors’ social isolation, barriers and loneliness and connecting them with stories from across the province.
“And it’s pretty wonderful that this program continues,” Froese added.
Sympathetic new construction
When constructing an addition to their “beautiful home,” the Robinsons kept in mind the age and style of the building, said Froese.
They did this by sourcing and incorporating original brick, tin ceilings, a heritage-modelled fireplace, reclaimed oak, a custom hearth, mantel and various other enhancements during the build and design phases, she continued. The inspiration came from dressing rooms that were created from century-old tweed shops they saw on their travels to the United Kingdom.
“So it’s a pretty cool (and) unique space … ,” Froese said, adding pictures reveal the “beautiful renovation” the couple undertook.
Besides these four categories, other areas under the Municipal Heritage Awards program include restoration, adaptive reuse and heritage tradespeople/craftspeople.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, March 25.
