'We're hoping we're not too late': YBID hopes to save mural amid SLGA sell-offs

As the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) facility on Broadway Street prepares to change hands, the future purchaser may have the ability to erase a local landmark.

Yorkton’s Centennial mural was created in 2008 by artist Grant McLaughlin, looking to tell the story of the city from the 1900s to 2000. It was also recently refurbished by local artists.

But with the rush to sell the province’s SLGA liquor stores, there’s a chance that mural’s future may be in the hands of its future purchaser.

According to Donna Brothwell, the executive director of the Yorkton Business Improvement District (YBID), concerns over the mural began immediately once the sale of the facilities were released.

“We got a few questions from the community,” Brothwell added Friday, standing in front of the piece in City Centre Park.

“It became a ‘Save the Mural’ goal, basically. We talked to the Minister (Lori Carr) … we actually sent her an email, and there has been no response yet, just that they’ve acknowledged they received the letter.”

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YBID sent the letter on Feb. 9, and as of Feb. 17 did not receive a response back.

Brothwell said the City of Yorkton told YBID it had discussed the sale with the province, specifically a manager of liquidations.

“They are aware that there has to be some consideration and some caveats … the conditions of the sale needs to involve the saving of the mural for the new property owners,” she explained.

The City of Yorkton confirmed those facts with CTV News on Feb. 17.

However, Brothwell doesn’t know if there is anything written in stone, contractually, to specifically save the mural. She said these conditions would also have to be met for the parking lot across from the SLGA building.

CTV News reached out to the province and but did not receive a response regarding the future of the mural, or if it was taken into consideration in Yorkton’s case or any other one of the 19 locations set for sale.

For Brothwell, the loss of the mural would be detrimental to the history of the city, and the downtown core.

“(It would look like) a very blank wall. You never know what the new owner is going to do. We’re just hoping that we have a great relationship with the new owner, which is more than likely, and that the mural, there’s no possibility of anything happening (to it),” she said.

“We’re hoping we’re not too late, obviously, to make sure that the mural is saved. It’s a great historic piece and if something happened to it in this park, everybody’s affected.”

Yorkton’s SLGA liquor permit is currently up for auction, with bidding closing on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

In terms of the physical properties in the sell-off, including the facilities and what its attached to, the province will be making properties available through Government’s asset disposal processes and commercial realtors.

“Details about what is included with the sale of the buildings will be determined as part of the asset disposal process,” a government Q&A page stated.