Kaitlyn M.

Lethbridge, Alberta

Southern Alberta Regional Heritage Fair

Saving A Landmark

My project is about how a local landmark, the Lethbridge Water Tower, was saved from demolition by a local building designer and re-purposed into something everyone can use and enjoy for generations to come.

 

 

 

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

I learned to think of old buildings in a different way. It's important to learn about a building's history and preserve that by finding a way to re-purpose it, if possible, into something useful and enjoyable for everyone.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

I learned how a water tower is constructed, how it distributes water and how it was saved from becoming scrap metal. In talking with the construction manager I discovered how much work it takes to convince the right people that a landmark is worth saving and that it is possible to have a restaurant in the sky! I also learned that through a lot of determination and creativity, something ordinary can become something extraordinary.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

It was brought to my attention that as hard as the process is to reuse something, it was even harder to construct it many years ago. People put a lot of effort and work and materials into the construction of these buildings so it is worth the effort to preserve what so many people spent time and money on.