22 September 2008
City Considers Heritage Status for Railway Bridge
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The sun sets across the river, casting the old railway bridge
in sharp silhouette. The bridge may be deemed a heritage structure.
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Prince Albert Saskatchewan - With all the talk about a new
bridge for Prince Albert, it's easy to forget the seldom-used railway bridge.
But some people have the nearly 100-year-old bridge foremost in their thoughts.
Heritage Resources, a branch of Saskatchewan Tourism, Parks, Culture, and Sport, commissioned a report on old bridges in the province
noteworthy for their historical value and which are possible candidates for Heritage Property designation.
The P.A. railway bridge, built in 1909, was one of the 10 bridges chosen for review.
With roadway and pedestrian attachments on its sides, it served as the only way to get across the North Saskatchewan River until 1960.
Tonight, City council will officially receive a letter from Heritage Resources suggesting formal recognition for the bridge. They will
likely then refer it to Economic Development and Planning.
The matter has already been referred to the Museum and Heritage Advisory Committee for comment.
"I think it's a great thing... but the decision at the end of the day will be up to the committee and council if they want to
designate it (as a municipal heritage site)," said Yves Richard, city planning manager. "Looking at the history of the
bridge, it's quite amazing."
Ross Herrington, author of the study on historical Saskatchewan bridges, wrote that there are two reasons the railway bridge is
valuable from a heritage point of view.
First, the bridge is a major element in the city's landscape and has had a significant impact on the city's layout.
"The combined railway and traffic bridge helped to solidify the economic importance of Prince Albert by opening up the area north
and west of the North Saskatchewan River... (it) was directly responsible for the establishment of more than 550 Prairie cities, towns
and villages which had been nonexistent before the coming of the railway," Herrington wrote.
The bridge is also valuable for its unique engineering, he maintains. The unusual central swing span rotated to let passing boats
through, facilitating steamboat traffic.
Municipal heritage sites have to be significant for either their architecture or their involvement in historic events, Richard
explained. If the committee recommends a municipal heritage designation, council has the final say.
"The implication (with heritage status) is basically if there's any change to the structure, building, or bridge, it has to be
approved by council," Richard said.
The study also recommends that some of the province's railway bridges are excellent candidates for provincial heritage recognition.
Currently, there are no railway bridges with provincial heritage status in Saskatchewan. Heritage Resources was unavailable for
comment.
The research was funded by the Canada-Saskatchewan Heritage Resources Initiative.
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