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Vibank Convent

101 2nd Avenue, Village of Vibank, Vibank, Saskatchewan, S0G, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1992/11/24

View of the front entryway of the Vibank Convent, 2004.; Government of Saskatchewan, Bruce Dawson, 2004
Vibank Convent
Interior of former chapel at Vibank Convent, 2004.; Government of Saskatchewan, Bruce Dawson, 2004
Former chapel at the Vibank Convent
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Other Name(s)

Holy Family Convent
Vibank Convent
Vibank Town Hall

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1923/01/01 to 1923/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2004/10/25

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Vibank Convent is a Municipal Heritage Property occupying a 7030 square-metre parcel of land in the Town of Vibank. The property features a two-storey brick building complted in 1923 surrounded by landscaped grounds.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Vibank Convent lies in its association with the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in Saskatchewan. The early twentieth-century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand settlers to the province. To meet the spiritual and educational needs of these newcomers, several religious groups established parishes, schools and training facilities in Saskatchewan. The Ursulines, an order of the Roman Catholic Church, established their first convent in Vibank in 1919. Following a fire at the Ursuline convent in Grayson Saskatchewan, the province’s only Ursline Motherhouse was relocated to Vibank and a new convent facility was erected. Completed in 1923, the convent also served as a girls school and dormitory. The building remained a Motherhouse until 1953 and served as a school and convent until 1977.

The heritage value of the Vibank Convent also resides in its architecture. A substantial building in size, proportions and materials, the two-storey brick building presents a simple elegance, consistent with its function and with other religious facilities built in the province during the period. Notable exceptions to the austere nature of the building are the religious carvings and other elements that define the entryway and the extensive wood trim located throughout the building and the pink stained glass windows in the sanctuary.

Heritage value also lies in the landscaping of the grounds. The grounds were a place of quiet religious contemplation and were decorated with well-groomed lawns, concrete walkways, statues and a small shrine. Surrounding the grounds is a stand of conifer trees which add seclusion to the property and distinguish the grounds from the surrounding landscape.


Source:

Village of Vibank bylaw 92-5.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Vibank Convent resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those architectural elements which reflect the substantial nature of the building, including the regular window pattern, projecting cornice, flat roof line and projecting portico;
-those elements which reflect the religious nature of the building, including carvings, ornaments and furnishings;
-those elements which reflect the educational role of the building, including signage, furnishings and room layout;
-the interior wood trim and decorative windows in the sanctuary;
-the layout of the grounds, including statues, shrine and pathways.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Saskatchewan

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (SK)

Recognition Statute

Heritage Property Act, s. 11(1)(a)

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Property

Recognition Date

1992/11/24

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Building Social and Community Life
Religious Institutions

Function - Category and Type

Current

Leisure
Library
Government
Town or City Hall

Historic

Religion, Ritual and Funeral
Religious Facility or Place of Worship
Education
Primary or Secondary School

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Heritage Resources Branch Culture, Youth and Recreation Regina, SK File MHP 1493

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

MHP 1493

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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