Description of Historic Place

The Rural Municipality of Willowdale No. 153 Municipal Office is a Municipal Heritage Property occupying one lot in the Town of Whitewood at 711 Lalonde Street. Situated in the town’s main commercial district, the property features a small, one-storey brick building built in 1936.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Rural Municipality of Willowdale No. 153 Municipal Office lies in its long service as a public building. Constructed in 1936, the property served as a Post Office and office space for other federal agencies until 1958. In 1958, the Rural Municipality of Willowdale No. 153 acquired the building and has used it as a municipal office since that date.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its architecture. The building marks a break from traditional government design with its resemblance to residential architecture, reflected in the cottage-style roof. The building features a low profile with decorative brick, and the front façade is defined by a semi-elliptical gable containing a clock face set directly above the main entranceway. The building was designed by Dominion Architect T.W. Fuller (1927-1937) in 1936, as part of a federal programme to construct government buildings as a way to employ people during the Depression. This simple style was a result of the economic conditions of the Depression and the government’s desire to spread the impact of its construction programme to more communities. The property is similar to other post offices that were constructed under the programme in nineteen towns across the country, including one other in Saskatchewan.

Source:

Town of Whitewood Bylaw No. 14/97.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Rural Municipality of Willowdale No. 153 Municipal Office resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect its residential-style architecture, such as the hip roof, low profile, and small size;
-those elements that reflect its role as a government building, such as the signage, decorative brickwork and the clock face.