REGINA -- Regina city council voted on Wednesday to save a historic home from being demolished.
City council voted unanimously against a plan that would have paved the way for the dismantling of the Bagshaw residence on Angus Crescent.
After much debate, council instead decided to move forward to designate the property as a heritage home.
During the meeting, heritage advocates urged council to save the residence, saying it's an architectural and cultural asset for the city.
“This demolition is a short-sighted move,” said Jeannie Mah, who lives in the neighbourhood, during the meeting. “To come to a historic neighbourhood, only to destroy it, shows great disrespect.”
Crawford Homes purchased the property with plans to demolish the 107-year-old home and build a 1,900-square-foot bungalow in its place.
A representative from the company told council the residence is extensively degraded and not suitable for living.
They said bringing it up to modern standards would be extremely expensive.
Crawford bought the lot for $195,000.
But after hearing from both sides, council ultimately decided the home should be saved.
Some suggested that even though upgrades would be costly, it could still be done. The developer could take advantage of some heritage restoration funding, they said.
Further, council passed a motion that requires staff to come back with a plan that protects the architectural integrity in heritage areas in the city.
