Description of Historic Place

Located in the town of Waskesiu on the shores of Waskesiu Lake, the Community Hall is
a low, T-shaped, picturesque building designed in a rustic style constructed of peeled logs on a rough fieldstone foundation, it has a pedimented main entrance and large chimney of rough fieldstone, multi-paned windows and prominent shingled roofs.

Heritage Value

The Community Hall is a Recognized Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values:

Historical value:
The Community Hall is associated with the theme of the development of the National Park system in Canada. The structure was designed and built during the unemployment relief program whereby labour and funding was provided for projects in the park during the Depression years. Throughout its existence, the hall has served as a visual and social centerpiece for both Waskesiu town and the whole park.

Architectural value:
The Community Hall is valued for its very good aesthetic. It is a good example of a structure executed in the rustic style favoured in the National Parks of Canada during the 1920s-30s. The natural construction materials of fieldstone and peeled logs contribute to a unified picturesque image for the National Parks. The building also exhibits very good craftsmanship and use of materials.

Environmental value:
The Community Hall maintains an unchanged relationship to its site. It is compatible with its township setting within a natural park and is familiar to townspeople and visitors.

Sources:
C. A. Hale, Community Hall, Waskesiu Drive, Waskesiu, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Federal Buildings Review Office Report 84-030; Community Hall, Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, Heritage Character Statement 84-030.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Community Hall should be respected.

Its very good aesthetic in the rustic style and good craftsmanship and materials, for example: the ‘T’-shaped massing with hipped and gabled roofs; the use of local construction materials, particularly the horizontal, peeled log walls, and rough fieldstone for the foundations, chimney and fireplace; the rough fieldstone of the main entrance with pedimented entrance opening that features large double doors conspicuously clasped with long hinges; the multi-pane windows; the functional interior configuration.

The manner in which the Community Hall maintains an unchanged historical relationship to its site, is compatible with the present character of its national park setting, and is familiar to townspeople and visitors, as evidenced by: its unchanged relationship to the surrounding forested area, near the lake; its rustic aesthetic, scale, appearance and materials that harmonize with the adjacent park buildings and its lakeside setting; its location within the community, next to Waskesiu Drive, and to the adjacent facilities such as the playground, that makes it well known to visitors and townspeople.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

SUMMARY
The Community Hall was completed in 1934. Its "Recognized" designation is based mainly on the architectural design and typicality of the building as well as on its environmental setting.

ARCHITECTURE
The community Hall, situated on Waskesiu Drive in the town of Waskesiu, is built out of T-shaped log and rough fieldstone, with a hip or cottage roofed main section built in 1933-34, and a gable-roofed addition made two years later to join the main building at right angles. It has a pedimented main entrance constructed of rough fieldstone with large double doors, and a large fireplace and chimney situated at the side. In its use of log and fieldstone as the main building fabric, the design of the Community Hall in Waskesiu is a very good example of the national park image. The fact that it remained intact since its construction attests the quality of its craftmanship. It projects the typical "rustic" image of national parks buildings of the 1920's and 30's, when common architectural features consisted of the use of peeled logs, obtained locally in this case, fieldstone and half-timber construction. Now that genuine log construction is being replaced by imitation log veneer, the value of such buildings that remained intact such a the community Hall is being enhanced.

ENVIRONNENT
The Community Hall served as the social centre both of the Waskesiu town and the park from the time of its construction. Throughout is existence, it has served as a visual and social centrepiece for the whole park. At the same time, the building blends in its environment and fellow buildings (e.g. the residence and office of the park super-intendant, the medical centre, the park nature centre and now museum etc.).