Nisbet Church, Block House to be dismantled, stored for later display
The future of two of the oldest buildings in Saskatchewan has been decided, and to the disappointment of some, they will be dismantled.
Prince Albert City Council approved a motion Monday earmarking $10,000 to dismantle and store historically valuable pieces of the Block House and Nisbet Church at Kinsmen Park. The buildings were under the spotlight over the past four months after the Prince Albert Historical Society asked for the city’s assistance in salvaging what is left of the rapidly-deteriorating 145-year-old structures. A recent engineering study showed a restoration would come with a price tag of around $750,000, and both buildings are currently closed to the public because of structural concerns.
Mayor Greg Dionne told council he met with the museum in February, when they settled on the decision. The buildings will begin to come down in June, Dionne said, as the museum wants a few months of good weather to go through the buildings and mark everything they will be able to save.
After the structures are dismantled, the city will house the salvaged portions at the old city yards or another indoor location. According to agenda documents, the museum has expressed a desire to erect a model of the buildings within a new addition at the museum. They are expected to begin researching grants for the project in the near future.