Assessment to determine future of water tower

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/08/2015 (3893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon’s iconic water tower will undergo a structural assessment this fall to determine maintenance and long-term costs associated with keeping it standing.

The city has budgeted $15,000 for the assessment, with a request for proposals to be issued soon, according to Patrick Pulak, director of engineering services and water resources.

“They go in, make sure that if there’s any corrosion … or if there’s any deficiencies in the structure of the water tower, it’s brought to our attention,” Pulak said.

“One of the things we hope to get out of this condition assessment is really the long-term costs of keeping the structure, not just the immediate costs.”

<t$>The water tower, located in Rideau Park,

has become a landmark in the Wheat City, with many longtime residents having a nostalgic connection to it. <t-4>

The tower was constructed in 1930 by the Horton Steel and Iron Works of Bridgeburg, Ont., with a 625,000-gallon capacity. It was decommissioned in 2005, and is one of the oldest remaining examples of a Horton tank of that size in Canada, according to the Manitoba Historical Society.

The landmark was scheduled to be demolished in 2012, but after public outcry, Brandon City Council voted to remove it from the demolition list in 2011.

A number of citizens, as well as councillors, wore “Save our Tower” stickers to show support, including Coun. Jeff Harwood (University).

“When that motion passed at council previously, I think everybody around the table realized and understands that it definitely is a landmark in the city,” Harwood said.

“The whole idea behind taking it off the demolition list was to keep the tower as a landmark.”

The tower was featured last year in an original painting by Brandon artist Weiming Zhao, which graced the front page of the Brandon Sun on Christmas Eve.

The painting was later auctioned off for charity.

In 2011, the tower was featured in a national TV commercial for Molson Canadian beer, which was a tribute to hockey played in the frigid Canadian outdoors.

Coun. Vanessa Hamilton (Riverview) brought up the issue of water-tower maintenance at a recent city council meeting, saying it is rusty and in poor shape.

The city planned to assess the tower last year, but due to the summer flood, it was postponed.

“It was supposed to happen, but it didn’t, so I just want to make sure that it’s going to be going ahead this year.”

Hamilton said she has heard from a group of east-end residents that they plan to nominate the tower as a municipal heritage site.

“Not only as city councillor for Riverview, but as a resident of the east end and Brandon, I feel the same way about it — that it’s an iconic landmark in Brandon,” she said.

“It’s been here for over 80 years and I think residents want it to stay.”

The goal is to maintain the structure so it can remain a landmark in the city.

“I know that some councillors and even the mayor have a lot of fond memories of that tower and I think would want it to remain standing,” city manager Scott Hildebrand said.

“We’re hoping (the assessment) would give us … a plan — what does that maintenance look like over the next five or 10 years so that we can continue to ensure that it stands safely.”

» jaustin@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @jillianaustin