During the regular March 11 meeting of City Council, four winners were announced for the 2023 Municipal Heritage Awards, including awards for Collection of Distinction, Stewardship, Advocacy/Heritage Education, and Sympathetic New Construction. 

City councillor Crystal Froese, who represents the City of Moose Jaw on the Heritage Advisory Committee, presented the awards alongside Mayor Clive Tolley. 

The Heritage Advisory Committee makes policy recommendations to city council on matters arising from The Heritage Property Act, potential developments or alterations of heritage properties, and the designation of municipal heritage properties. 

Once a year, the committee also awards local individuals and businesses who take special care of the City’s heritage properties, contribute to their preservation or continued use, engage in conservation projects, and more. 

For 2023, awardees are as follows: 

  • For ‘Collection of Distinction’ — The Three Sisters on Oxford Street 

    • Known as the Three Sisters, three Dutch colonial style homes (104, 110, 114 Oxford Street W), built over 100 years ago, now carry this honour. They were chosen for their unique attic diamond windows and curved main windows on the front second floor, bookended with two small square windows to each side. Featuring welcoming front porches, these three homes are considered landmarks in some of the earliest photos of Moose Jaw and continue to stand the test of time. 

  • For ‘Stewardship’ — The Museum of Schools Room at A.E. Peacock/Prairie South School Division  

    • Assembled by previous Principal Dustin Swanson and current Principal Tana Arnott. The pair are recognized for stewarding the history of local schools through their display. The room has a collection of yearbooks, a gold-plated cane which was gifted to William Grayson for his time on the school board, the Order of Canada which A.E. Peacock Collegiate received in 1977 and, most notably, a signed letter from Winston Churchill, acknowledging the statue of him which stands outside the main entrance of the school.  

  • For ‘Advocacy and Heritage Education’ — The Western Development Museum in Moose Jaw 

    • A perfect pairing between the Western Development Museum and Seniors Centre Without Walls Saskatchewan earned them the Advocacy Award for their Heritage Presentation Series. Back in 2020, the Museum began monthly, provincial heritage-themed presentations by telephone to a group of seniors involved in the Free Telephone Program hosted by Seniors Centre Without Walls Saskatchewan. Some of the benefits of the program are helping seniors reduce social isolation and loneliness and connecting them with stories from across the province.  

  • For ‘Sympathetic New Construction’ — Awarded to the Robinson home at 65 Oxford Street West for their heritage-designed master suite and wardrobe  

    • Jared and Alyssa Robinson began their plan when building an addition to their house, keeping in mind the age and style of the home. They sourced and incorporated original brick, tin ceilings, a heritage-modeled fireplace, reclaimed oak, a custom hearth, mantel, and various other enhancements during the build and design phases. The inspiration came from dressing rooms created from century-old tweed shops they have seen on their travels to the United Kingdom. 

“Lastly, I wanted to really thank our Heritage Advisory Committee for all the work that they do around the awards and adjudicating them,” Froese said.  

“It’s great to see this every year and it continues to encourage people to look for ways to recognize heritage in our community.”