Eye on the Esplanade: Preserving local heritage

By Medicine Hat News on November 17, 2017.

Squirrelled away in my cubicle at the Esplanade, I work on a variety of exciting projects to support the city’s Heritage Resources Committee, more commonly known as the HRC. This busy and devoted committee is never short of ideas on ways to protect and increase public awareness of our heritage resources.

Born and raised in Medicine Hat, I enjoyed listening to my parents’ stories of the early days and I have wonderful memories of a number of our downtown buildings. Unfortunately, I also have sad memories of those I witnessed in my youth being demolished, such as St. Teresa’s Academy. Thank heavens the HRC has since successfully encouraged designation of a variety of downtown buildings such as the Hargrave Sissons Store, St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Hull Block and the Monarch Theatre. The HRC has been successful as well with its recommendations to city council to have structures such as Finlay Bridge and the last standing civil defence siren designated as municipal historic resources. It is one of my responsibilities to arrange for the bronze plaques and plaque unveiling ceremonies when resources aredesignated. Two plaque unveiling ceremonies this year included those for the Monarch Theatre and First Street South Municipal Historic area. Who doesn’t enjoy driving down this majestic street or former Esplanade. I am looking forward to a walking tour brochure that the HRC is currently working on for this historic area.

Among my many duties, one includes assisting with the preparation of centennial certificates for public or commercial buildings 100 years old or older and assisting with the Ewart Duggan House Heritage Garden project. The garden is a wonderful addition for all to enjoy.

I am currently organizing and promoting our Historic Inventory Project open house on Nov. 22 at the Esplanade. It will be a chance to learn about and share one’s knowledge on 14 historic resources the HRC is evaluating this year including St. Patrick’s Church, a variety of commercial buildings and residences, a log cabin and Central Park. Our consultants will also be giving a presentation at 7 p.m. that evening on the advantages of municipal historic resource designation. If you would like to review the 52 resources evaluated to date, please check out the inventory section at the following link that I maintain: http://www.medicinehat.ca/heritage

Looking for an idea for an evening? Why not come learn more about the first wave of industries during the city’s early boom period by checking out the Archives’ current exhibit, “Boom Industry” that is on display until Jan. 13, 2018. You can see it for free tonight during the public reception for the downtown Art Walk. I enjoy utilizing the Archives; there are lots of great stories or movie ideas.

Karen-Anne Cherwonogrodzky is Heritage Assistant at the Esplanade.

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