Melfort's Historic Post Office. (Ben Tompkins/northeastNOW Staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Downtown Staple

Former Melfort councilor wants committee formed to determine future of Historic Post Office

Jul 12, 2023 | 10:28 AM

The future of the Melfort Historic Post Office (HPO) is uncertain and one concerned citizen wants that to change.

At the city’s recent council meeting, a former councillor brought up some ideas on what she envisions for the future of the building, and how the community can get there.

Donna Ponath asked the city to form a committee for the heritage site, something along the lines of what they used to have, back during her term from 2012-2016.

“What we need is somebody from the city to take control of it because there’s nobody assigned to it and it’s a project. Let’s be real, it’s a love-hate relationship with that building and the city has to identify somebody to be in charge of it,” she explained.

“A committee has to be formed around that to continue exploring its value for what it is. We can’t just have this great, big monolith in the middle of our town that’s not being used, as that’s not productive.”

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Ponath was the original chair of the Preservation and Rehabilitation Committee (PARC), during her time as an elected councillor.

At that time, a report from AODBT Architecture + Interior Design was given to define the work that had to be done to begin the preservation of the HPO.

1. To start, the provincial government deemed it a municipal heritage site, and the city put temporary heat on all the levels to ensure damage to plaster, pipes, and everything else stopped.
2. The clock was then re-established and chimed again in July of 2013 for the first time in 15 years.
3. A strategic plan was put in place by the city for the 2015-2020 years, and a special capital budget of $30,000 was directed in 2016.
4. Multiple grants were awarded and donations fled in, as the plumbing was reviewed and fixed so bathrooms could be built and rebuilt, eaves were fixed, the water removal system was moved to abate leaks, the roof and entire trim were painted, battleship linoleum was removed, a working kitchen was built, both sets of outdoor stairs were fixed, and the exterior bricks were repainted and replaced.
5. In 2019, to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the building, the Government of Canada approved a legacy grant of $100,000 to replace the windows with historic replicas.
6. Finally, in 2020 asbestos was discovered and abated, while in 2023, lead paint was found and now needs to be remediated.

That lead paint was the reason the most recent project/prospective tenant situation did not turn out.

Back in December, the HPO was supposed to be the home for the Melfort Daycare Cooperative.

According to Ponath, she believes a business purchasing the space would be better, however, things need to obviously be done, before they can list it.

“Whatever business we can find to put in there, we’ll get some sort of deal to get it off the ground. I’m hoping for maybe a tax relief, possibly some leasehold improvements. I mean, we’ve done an awful lot, there has been a lot of money spent on that through donations, fundraising, grants and programs,” she added.

“I think it’s going to have to be some business-oriented person, company, or organization that comes in there, sees its value and puts something in there that’s going to attract our citizens to be in there, people want to be in that building.”

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