Yorkton Flour Mill selected for two provincial awards

REGINA -

After nine years of working to restore the Yorkton flour Mill, the Yorkton Flour Mill Heritage Society has been selected for two awards by Heritage Saskatchewan.

The committee has been selected for awards in the categories of Public Outreach and Physical Heritage Conservation.

Yorkton Historic Mill Society board member Larry Pearen said they were invited to apply for the awards because of the work put in by the committee in restoring the mill.

“It is wonderful to be recognized provincially for all the work of the many volunteers over the last nine years,” he said. “This is part of the story. We’re trying to keep some history and it’s the oldest industrial building, so we are proud of that and we’re so excited that we are being recognized.”

The City of Yorkton Mayor, Mitch Hippsley said that it is great that the society is being recognized for all the work they have put in to keep Yorkton’s history alive.

“This is city property and people forget that. They [the committee] believe in the historic value and I believe it too. This is why we are here because of that mill. It used to be the centre of Yorkton at one time,” he said.

The historic mill was built in the late 1890s. The building is full of machinery that was left in operating conditions after the city inherited the property.

Pearen said that the committee has completed the first phase of its restoration and will be undergoing a structural review by engineers to verify the building is safe.

The committee hopes to get work done to the first floor and basement by next spring so people can begin visiting.

On Tuesday Nov. 2, the Yorkton Flour Mill will be presented the award by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, the Honourable Russell Mirasty, at the awards ceremony at Government House in Regina.