Description of Historic Place

The Windsor Block is a Municipal Heritage Property situated on three lots in the Town of Grenfell at 1103 Front Avenue. The property features a two-storey fieldstone building constructed in 1896 with a large addition in 1912. T he building is situated within the town’s main commercial district.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Windsor Block lies in its significance as one of the oldest Masonic Halls in Saskatchewan. Constructed in 1896, the property was reported to be one of the few Masonic-owned buildings in western Canada. The property symbolized the Masons' confidence in the future of the town. In 1906 the Masons sold the building to businessman J.D. Cumming.

The heritage value of the property also resides in its status as a long-standing theatre in the community. In 1912, a theatre was incorporated into the Windsor Block, and became an important venue for live performances and travelling Vaudeville companies. When electricity was added to the building, motion pictures were introduced. The theatre was in operation until 1974. In the years since, the Windsor Block has hosted a variety of commercial and residential tenants.

Source:

Town of Grenfell Bylaw No. 566-98.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Windsor Block resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect the property’s status as one of the oldest Masonic Halls
in the province, including its position on its original location on a corner lot;
-those elements of the property that reflect the property’s status as one of the oldest standing theatres in the province, including the large open theatre space inside the building.