Representative officials from the City of Weyburn, The Provincial Court and the Government of Saskatchewan gathered at the Weyburn Court House on May 15 for an announcement about the upcoming re-opening of the landmark facility.
"I'm proud to announce the completion of the Weyburn Court House renovation," said Government Services Minister Laura Ross. "These improvements have enhanced the accessibility of the court house, preserved the heritage of this building and brought new life to the interior and exterior of the facility."
Work on the court house started in the spring of 2009. During the three years of renovations, Court Services were relocated to the Auburn Pepper building, but will move back to the court house now that the renovations are complete.
Court will resume the week of June 18 in the restored historical red brick colonial-style building.
"Today, we celebrate the relifing of this over 80-year old building," said Ross, who added that times have changed since the 1928 construction of the building. At a cost of $81,274, the court house's original construction costs were actually about one per cent of the total cost of its recent renovations.
The total budget for the upgrades is $8.4 million. The project was awarded through a Request for Proposals to CCR Construction.
"An addition was built to house the new elevator," said Ross. Other work included upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, sealing and repair of the foundation, repointing of masonry, rebuilding of the parapet wall and installation of a new roof.
"A new fountain was purchased and installed as the old one was falling down," said Ross, noting that the landscaping is still underway, to be completed this spring.
The driveways, parking lots and walkways were repaved, new interior finishes were undertaken, existing windows were refurbished and double pane storm windows were installed.
"The historical value of this building plays a prominent role in the community," said Ross. "This restoration and relife ensures that the facility will remain a vibrant part of Weyburn for many years to come."
Government Services owns the Weyburn Court House building and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General is the tenant who occupies the facility.
"Our staff are certainly looking forward to coming back to work at this historic facility in June," said Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan. "This building is truly a Weyburn landmark, and has met the needs of the justice system for many years. Thanks to these renovations, it will continue to meet our needs for many more years to come."
"It was a long time coming," said Morgan, "and we're pleased that things were worth waiting for."
Morgan also noted that, during the renovations, Minister Dustin Duncan, MLA for Weyburn-Big Muddy, was regularly on Morgan's doorstep ensuring that the project was completed in a timely manner.
"I am of course very pleased with the work that has been done in this court house," said Justice Guy Chicoine from Court of Queen's Bench. "It is now probably the nicest court house in Saskatchewan."
The Weyburn Court House's beautifully-manicured grounds will also be completely restored this spring, once again making it an ideal location for anniversary, family, high school graduation and wedding photographs.
