Mayor wants better plan to preserve historic buildings in Saskatoon

Planning for repairs and maintenance comes with being a homeowner, but the City of Saskatoon is addressing an oversight when it comes to taking care of the city’s historic buildings.

The action comes after the city learned this month the historic Marr Residence is in need of repairs to fix a leaky roof.

The estimated repair bill is $40,000, but there isn’t any money to pay for it, according to the volunteer board that operates the home built in 1884.

“The challenge with these older buildings is they don’t operate under the same model as a lot of our newer buildings in terms of having a reserve fund for their upkeep and repairs,” Mayor Charlie Clark told the Brent Loucks Show on Tuesday.

“Our administration is working on a plan to ensure that we do have the funds in place to make sure we don’t allow them to deteriorate.”

Clark says it speaks to the need about having a more comprehensive approach, noting the Albert Community Centre is another aging building requiring repairs.

Clark said he’s confident the Marr Residence will get the repairs it needs.

“I’ve actually had multiple roofers reach out to me saying they’d like to help because they see the value in the building and would offer services,” Clark said. “I’m sure we will be able to solve that problem.”

The 137-year-old city-owned property, which serves as a museum, has been closed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.