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There are pros and cons to Signal Hill sale

Weyburn Review Editorial

Weyburn’s city council had a difficult decision in front of them, and yet in many ways it was sort of a no-brainer, regarding the sale of the historic Signal Hill Arts Centre building on South Hill.

This iconic structure is part of the set of historical symbols of Weyburn as a city, with the cluster of Signal Hill, the water tower and the T.C. Douglas Centre on 10th Avenue, and visible for miles around.

The sight of the water tower and Signal Hill have been a basic part of the cityscape since the early 1900s when they were built, with the water tower first in 1909.

Signal Hill was designated a Municipal Heritage building in 1985, and as such, the exterior of the building cannot be altered in order to preserve its character.

On the one hand, the offer to the City was for $114,500, which is less than half of the asking price set by the City at $249,900 when it was listed for sale after a building appraisal was done by a consultant.

To those who love the building, and consider it to be a valuable asset to the City, the offer seems to be highly inadequate, particularly when combined with the buyer’s request for a five-year tax concession.

The intent is for the building to be developed for commercial and residential purposes, and the tax concession is seen as a way to encourage that development. Once the building is rezoned to allow this development, it is estimated the City will get between $10-13,000 a year in taxes.

Mayor Marcel Roy took a dim view of this loss of revenue, especially when the offer price was less than half of the asking price to begin with.

He makes a valid point, but what should be considered is that Signal Hill has never brought in any tax revenue to the City, as it has been a City-owned facility.

Also, the promise is one of having development occur during one of the most difficult years in the world’s history, including in economic terms after the economy was basically shut down for two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Weyburn does not want or need is to have a repeat of the loss of history as has occurred all too many times. A prime example of this was the former Souris Valley Extended Care Centre, which fell into disrepair and eventually had to be demolished and removed.

There have been several historic buildings that are no longer in existence in Weyburn for the same reason, and the loss of Signal Hill in this way would be absolutely shameful.

The hope is the buyer will be able to develop this former arts and care facility into one that will be in use for many years to come, and this building can proudly remain as a symbol of Weyburn’s history on South Hill.