Panel mulls arguments over historic church

Review board weighs heritage status for Third Avenue United Church

A provincial panel will decide on whether the heritage value of Saskatoon’s Third Avenue United Church outweighs concerns by the owners that special designation could hinder its sale.

The three-person Saskatchewan Heritage Property Review Board heard heritage advocates and the church’s current owner and former owner offer their opinions at a hearing in Saskatoon Tuesday.

Representatives of current coowner Dale Anderson told the hearing the ownership group no longer supports protected heritage status for the building, according to several people who attended the hearing.

The owners now reportedly oppose heritage status because they believe it will make it more difficult for a potential buyer to arrange financing.

“This, of course, leaves the building totally vulnerable,” Saskatoon Heritage Society president Peggy Sarjeant said in an email.

The review board granted the owners 21 days to submit a written argument. City hall administration will then have 48 hours to respond to the owners’ written submission. The review board is expected to make a decision within 30 days of the hearing and pass along its opinion to Saskatoon city council.

A council committee backed protected heritage status for the church in November, but former owner John Orr filed an objection, which prompted the provincial review board’s hearing.

Orr also attended the meeting and urged heritage status be postponed. Orr is trying to regain ownership of the church after losing it during court-supervised restructuring of his assets.

“I’m not entirely sure what to expect from the panel,” Coun. Hilary Gough said. She attended the hearing and sits on the City of Saskatoon’s municipal heritage advisory committee. “And they’re new. They’re newly appointed.”

Lenore Swystun, a longtime heritage advocate who also sits on the city’s heritage advisory committee, said it’s unusual to hold a hearing such as Tuesday’s. She said cities don’t put in the time and effort to pursue special heritage designation for a property unless it really matters. Gough said any decision by the board is not binding on city council, but Swystun said the review board will carry a lot of weight.

Gough said there seems to be little dispute about the heritage value of the church, which was built from 1911 to 1913. She also said she has not seen any proof that heritage designation and protection would impede the sale of the property.

Gough said she has heard rumours there could be plans to demolish the church.

“Designation is the best tool that we have to make sure that the building does not get knocked down,” she said. Neither Anderson nor Orr could be reached for comment on Friday. Anderson previously voiced his support for heritage designation for the church. City council’s planning, development and community services committee approved considering heritage protection for the building ’s exterior, as well as its interior hammer beam rafters and Casavant organ.

The 29,000-square-foot church is listed for sale for $3.44 million by ICR Commercial Real Estate. The listing describes the structure as an “English gothic style church” and an “iconic community landmark.”

The listing also says the building, which is still being used as a church, can seat 1,000 people and features “legendary acoustics.”