Description of Historic Place

The Ogema Fire Hall is a Municipal Heritage Property occupying one commercial lot on the Main Street of Ogema. The property features a 1916 brick building with a Boomtown façade and internal fire wall.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Ogema Fire Hall lies in its status as the oldest known brick fire hall in Saskatchewan not located in a city. Built in the aftermath of a 1915 fire which devastated the town’s commercial district, the building was designed to be a showpiece of civic pride as well as a deterrent to future fires. Built of brick with a Boomtown façade projecting above the roofline, and featuring decorative window and door openings, the Ogema Fire Hall projected a level of prestige beyond the building's function. The all- brick construction, combined with a 16 inch thick fire wall on the north side of the building and an internal cistern, was designed to help prevent the spread of future fires in the community. The siting of the building mid-block on the town's main street contributed to the prominence of the Fire Hall and to its usefulness as a fire deterrent.

Source:

Town of Ogema Bylaw 197.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Ogema Fire Hall resides in the following character-defining elements:
-the prestigious façade of the building, including the windows, doors and projecting wall above the roofline;
- those elements which reflect the building's use as a fire hall, including signage, equipment and fixtures.