City committee gives three fire halls historic designations

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This article was published 27/11/2014 (4285 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three city-owned fire halls have been given historical designations, even though only one of them is still used as an active fire hall.

Members of the downtown development committee unanimously voted to approve the historic designations, which will protect specific interior and exterior features and prevent the buildings from being demolished, if ever sold, without council’s approval.

The historic designations had been recommended by the committee of heritage experts but not by the city administration, which only wanted their building features to be noted but not protected.

John Kiernan, the city’s manager of urban design, said the city has already designated six old fire as historical buildings, adding he questioned how many more the city needed.

The three fire halls are located at 524 Osborne St., 845 Sargent Ave., and 1466 William Ave.

Only the Sargent building is an active fire hall. An administrative report states the Osborne hall is used as office space for the fire department and the William hall is used as a daycare and fire department workshop.

Coun. Jenny Gerbasi disagreed with the administration’s recommendation and urged the other councillors to adopt the historic designation, explaining that all three buildings have historical building features worth protecting and all three play key role in the neighbourhood streetscape.

Gerbasi, who is chairwoman of the historical buildings and resources committee, said the designations can be removed if the case can be made for it.

The committee also approved the historical designation for a north Main Street building – the Allum Block, at 594 Main St.

The 100-year-old building was once the home of the Neon Factory, but it’s now vacant.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca