Prince Albert YWCA CEO Donna Brooks and MLA Alana Ross unveil a new plaque at Our House. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Paying tribute to the past

Prince Albert’s Our House designated as Provincial Heritage Property

Sep 14, 2022 | 5:00 PM

A building in Prince Albert that once provided shelter for new immigrants arriving in Canada, and for the men returning from war, has officially been designated a Provincial Heritage property.

A plaque unveiling ceremony was held Wednesday at YWCA Our House, once known as Immigration Hall. Frey Payton, President of the Prince Albert Historical Society was among the dignitaries on hand. He described how in the 1920s and 1930s, new immigrants arriving in Prince Albert would come off the train, walk across the road, report their arrival, and be advised of their responsibilities.

“For many of them, the next leg of the journey would likely mean another train trip perhaps to the east, to the north or to the south,” Payton explained. “That journey may not commence on the day of their arrival or even the next day and it would essential for them to have a safe place to stay until such a journey could start.”

When World War II ended, members of Canada’s armed forces would arrive by train in Prince Albert, sometimes as many as three times a day and often late at night.

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“Those men who had no home to which to go, or those who were required to stay overnight in the city before they could travel on, needed a place to stay,” Payton said.

Coincidently, the women who were required to stay over were put down the road at what’s now known as the YWCA building.

“The need for this building, the use it is being put to, really, really contributes not only to the past history of Prince Albert but also the future history of Prince Albert and area,” Payton said.

A view of the old train station and the immigration hall is the square building in the top right background. (Submitted/ Prince Albert Historical Museum)

During her remarks, YWCA CEO Donna Brooks noted the fact the building continues to help people journey home, while explaining the journey itself may be a bit different in the form of providing help for people who may be dealing with poverty or mental health issues

“And it’s an honor for me to be the CEO of the association that’s doing that and I am part of the staff that continues to provide the services that offer the help with the journeys home,” she said.

Also among the dignitaries on hand for Wednesday’s unveiling ceremony was Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross. She noted of all the immigration halls that once stood in cities and towns across the province, the one in Prince Albert is the only one that remains.

“Aided by its designation this structure will be a place that continues to serve its community and one where present and future generations can connect with the building’s history and with the dynamic time in the growth and development of our province,” she said.

In addition to having a plaque on site at Our House, the new designation provides legal protection for the building from unauthorized structural changes.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell