A group of 3D modellers are looking for special buildings around Weyburn. The group is doing this so more buildings will be seen as 3D models in Google Earth's "3D Buildings" layer.
The project is being spearheaded by the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan as part of the Model Saskatchewan project. The Society is hoping that residents will submit building suggestions to help in the "preservation of our rich built heritage."
Three Weyburn buildings currently appear on the "3D buildings" layer on Google Earth. These buildings are the Hometown Furniture building, the Scotia Bank at the corner of Government Road and Souris Avenue, and the Weyburn Water Tower. With the Water Tower there is also a brief history of the 102 year old monument that can be viewed after clicking on it.
Several hundred models of the province's heritage buildings currently appear on Google Earth. These buildings include one of Saskatchewan's architectural icons, the grain elevator. Currently there are models of 27 of the province's elevators on the website, with the collection growing all the time.
These buildings are the product of the work of modellers from all over Canada and the world. Modellers from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Newfoundland, and Australia have all contributed to the project. Modeller Julio Signorello from Ontario has contributed over 300 models from Saskatchewan communities as big as Prince Albert to as small as Mossbank.
Models are created by using the Google program sketchup. According to Al Gill, the president of the A.H.S.S, "most people are able to easily start modeling with sketchup based on Google learning resources." Gill also asserts that models can be made by "anyone from elementary school upwards and by anyone, anywhere."
They do this not only to help preserve architectural history, but also as a way to help visitors. Those who create the models claim that "(the models) can help residents and visitors understand your community in a way that maps and photographs can't." Gill also claims that the program gives people a chance to "get their farms, villages, towns, and cities on the map."
Anyone interested in volunteering for the Model Saskatchewan project can contact project coordinator Gregg Babish via e-mail at [email protected]. Interested people can learn how to model for the project or can provide photographs of buildings that are special to them.
