» Fort Macleod developing heritage inventory

Thirty sites will be added to the Fort Macleod Heritage Inventory.
The 16 commercial and 14 residential sites were researched during an inventory carried out by an Edmonton-based contractor.
Prometheus Heritage and Cultural Services researched and documented Fort Macleod’s heritage buildings.
The result of that work is the Town of Fort Macleod will add 30 residential and commercial buildings to its heritage inventory.
The results of the research were revealed at a Dec. 2 open house by Christopher White of Prometheus at the G.R. Davis Administration Building.
Built Heritage Advisory Board chairman Bill Kells explained the work is the result of a commitment by town council to continue with the heritage inventory.
White said the inventory is part of a larger process of documenting historic sites that could be protected through heritage designation.
Any site or property aged 50 years or older can be eligible to be a registered heritage resource.
“The heritage inventory is part of an ongoing process,” White said.
That process begins with a heritage survey, followed by the heritage inventory, which can then lead to a property becoming a designated historical site.
Prometheus Heritage and Cultural Services completed statements of significance and integrity for 30 sites in Fort Macleod.
The statement of significance includes a description of the historic place, its heritage value and character-defining elements.
The statement of integrity refers to physical aspects necessary for recognition, such as original materials and location.
White said 10 properties on Fort Macleod’s Main Street and Second Avenue have already been designated as provincial historic resources.
Fort Macleod had the first provincially designated historic area in 1984, with Old Strathcona becoming the second in Alberta about five years ago.
The value of historic designation includes access to matching provincial grants to maintain or rehabilitate the structure’s character defining elements.
White said there is also value in tourism potential and civic pride.
Municipalities can also create their own support and recognition programs.
Limitations of designation, White noted, is that once designated a site cannot be moved or destroyed, and modifications must be sympathetic and subservient to the original character.
White explained the process of municipal designation, which can lead to the site being nominated to the Alberta Register of Historic Places.
“Not all the sites on the heritage inventory will become designated historic resources,” White added.
White told his audience of about 22 people all of the intact pre-war Main Street buildings have now been inventoried.
White would now like to establish a chronology of businesses within the historic commercial core, and needs the community’s help to carry out that work.
Next steps for Fort Macleod include revising the places of interest list, developing a context paper and inventorying additional sites.
Finally, a heritage management plan should be developed to guide Fort Macleod through the designation process.
The 30 sites added to Fort Macleod’s heritage inventory are as follows:
• Telephone exchange building at 2224 Second Ave.
• Beaver Lumber Building at 2225 Second Ave.
• Great West Saddlery Block at 2215 Second Ave.
• Greyhound Bus Terminal at 2304 Second Ave.
Chow Sam Boarding House at 2422 Third Ave.
• Reach warehouse at 231 23rd St.
• McKenzie residence at 1623 Third Ave.
• Mathews residence at 330 17th St.
• McCrea residence at 410 17th St.
• Patterson residence at 311 17th St.
• Dickson residence on 18th Street.
• Campbell residence at 312 18th St.
• McNeill residence at 305 18th St.
• Swinarton residence at 352 18th St.
• Young residence at 453 22nd St.
• Whipple residence at 452 22nd St.
• Price residence at 320 20th St.
• Cowdry Bros. Bank at 214 24th St.
• Canadian Bank of Commerce at 204 24th St.
• McNeil-Mathews Block at 206 24th St. and 2320 Second Ave.
• American Hotel at 128 24th St.
• MacDonnell Block at 237 24th St.
• Anderton Bock at 215 24th St.
• Horseshoe Liquor building at 216 24th St.
• Callie Block at 225 24th St.
• Kennefick Livery at 310 24th St.
• Macleod Meat Market Building at 258 24th St.
• Leather Block at 254 24th St.
• Virtue Building at 260 24th St.

Christopher White of Prometheus Heritage and Cultural Services discusses a property with Nony Orr at the open house Dec. 2.