A recent online seminar from a collaboration of recreation districts around Saskatchewan shared some details about the process of designating a heritage property and how it has helped communities from around Saskatchewan.
Opening the presentation was Krista Liggett, heritage police and designation advisor with the Heritage Conservation Branch of the provincial government, who explained the basics of heritage property designation.
She shared the two types of heritage programs available in Saskatchewan: Municipal Heritage Property Designation, which currently has over 800 properties listed, and the Provincial Heritage Property Designation, which has about 50 properties listed.
Both programs operate in somewhat the same way, said Liggett, with the largest difference being regulation.
Municipal heritage properties are regulated by the municipality in which they are located, while provincial properties are regulated by the Heritage Conservation Branch and the province. Both types of property designations are equally eligible for grants, which she said many people don’t realize.
Designation of a heritage property also doesn’t have to be about age, said Liggett. There is no restriction regarding age and designation applications are considered based on historical significance.
“If it's important to your community, it should not be about [age]. It should be about it's story and what the community wants to protect,” said Liggett.
Heritage properties also don’t have to be made into museums or opened to the public, she continued, and changes to the interior and exteriors of heritage properties can be allowed as the purpose of a heritage designation is to protect the unique aspects of heritage buildings.
Liggett explained why it can be important for communities to designate a local building or piece of land as a heritage property.
“Many times communities don't recognize what they have as historically significant,” said Liggett. “When it comes to municipal designation, it's all about recognizing and realizing these local places, and one way to do that is through heritage designation.”
Designating a heritage property can prompt a positive surge in community pride and togetherness, said Liggett, and can even help a community examine its own stories and decide what’s important.
Heritage properties are also listed on the Government of Saskatchewan’s website, which can help with tourism opportunities.
To reiterate the points made by Liggett, three representatives also offered presentations about their own municipality’s heritage properties, to share their experiences and explain how the process has benefitted their communities.
Rhonda Lamb, representative from the Kronau Heritage Museum, shared how designating the town’s two heritage buildings provided a space for community programming and increased community engagement and tourism.
Royce Pettyjohn spoke about the C.M. Glascock Building in Maple Creek, explaining how the old car dealership was designated as a heritage property and transformed into a community space despite being an abandoned garage when the application was submitted.
“It's not just necessarily about grand edifices, it's about buildings that have a role in the community,” said Pettyjohn during his presentation.
Jennifer Fitzpatrick from the city of Humboldt shared the process of designating the parcel of land called the “original site of Humboldt” as an example of designating land rather than a physical building.
More information on how to apply for a heritage designation, different types of heritage designation, and current heritage properties can be found on the Government of Saskatchewan’s website here.
