Municipal Heritage Designation Program

The Municipal Heritage Designation Program provides social, economic and environmental benefits:

Social:

• Promote a sense of place, identity, character and pride from generation to generation.
• Maintain a human scale and richness in the public pedestrian realm.
• Encourage healthy lifestyles.
• Provide affordable housing opportunities.
• Generate community involvement and volunteerism.  
• Promote education and awareness by enhancing perspectives. 

Economic:

• Stimulates revitalization resulting in an increase in commercial activity including adjacent buildings and streets.
• Generates investment and capital.
• Increases property values.
• Increases tourism and local spending.
• Creates jobs and economic spin-offs.

Environmental:

• Reduces the construction and demolition debris into landfills.
• Reduces pollution and the consumption of energy and resources used in demolition and the production of new materials and assemblies.
• Reuses embedded energy from the original extracting, manufacturing and transporting of building materials and assemblies
• Shows a commitment to sustainability, e.g. reducing urban sprawl. 

Some municipally designated properties include the the Canadian Pacific Railway Station, Okotoks Post Office, Stockton Block, the Okotoks United Church, and the Macleod Trail Cultural Landscape.  

The historical property name is usually either the original business or owner of the property.  

Character-Defining Elements: Materials, forms, location, spatial configurations, uses and cultural associations or meanings that contribute to the heritage value of a historic place, which must be retained to preserve its heritage value

Heritage Resource: Refers to a structure, site, object, cultural or natural feature, in or above the ground, or related cluster of structures, sites, objects, cultural or natural features that are deemed to be significant by virtue of their design, construction, association with an heritage event, trend, person, place or social movement, or by virtue of the importance of the research or knowledge content which the resources may possess.

Municipal Heritage Resource: A historic resource that has been designated municipally under section 26 (1) in the Historic Resources Act as a Municipal Historic Resource.

Statement of Significance: A statement that identifies the description, heritage value, and character-defining elements of an historic place. A Statement of Significance is required in order for an historic place to be listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Alberta Historic Places Registry and a Municipal Historic Resources Registry

If an owner wishes to designate their property, or look into the process of designation, contact the Town of Okotoks using the ‘Contact Us’ button.  

The Town of Okotoks will work with the property owner on obtaining a Statement of Significance that proves the properties eligibility for the program. This will be done through an independent consultant paid for by the Town.  

Upon completion of the Statement, it is reviewed by a representative of Culture and Heritage. The Town then reports to Council and they will pass a bylaw to protect the property.  

A member of Culture and Heritage will seek provincial approval to add your property to the Provincial Heritage Inventory, which qualifies the property for grants and funding for conservation and preservation of the property.

Finally, Culture and Heritage will write and manufacture a plaque stating that your property is designated to be displayed on the property. This is paid for by the Town. 

Your property must be significant to the community in one or more of the following ways:

1. An Activity/Theme/Cultural Practice/Event that was significant to the Town of Okotoks happened on your property.  
2. An Institution/Person that was significant to the Town of Okotoks either lived or worked on your property.  
3. Your property has a Style/Design/Construction that is significant to the Town of Okotoks.  
4. Your property has informational value to the Town of Okotoks.  
5. Your property was a landmark/has symbolic value to the Town of Okotoks.  

Your property must meet most of the following integrity requirements:  

1. Your property is still in the original location or the location where the significant event occurred.
2. The design of your house is original. Renovations have not removed original design.  
3. The surrounding environment of the property is intact. A lone house surrounded by new warehouses when it was originally in a residential area would be an example of an environment that has lost integrity.
4. There are still original materials on some, if not all of the property. For example original flooring or beam work.
5. The original material on the property was built with original workmanship techniques. A house that used older materials in a new renovation would not count as a viable portion of the property.
6. The property retains a historical feel.
7. There is a direct link between the property and the significance to the community listed above. For example, a house owned by a friend of an influential doctor would not be viable, the original house or office of the doctor would be.    

Designation takes time. Time must be reserved for adequate research to be done on the property by an available consultant, the recommendation must be brought before council three times and the bylaw must have a minimum 60-day notice. Altogether, it will likely take 4-5 months to complete a municipal heritage designation from start to finish. There is no deadline within the year. Property owners are welcome to contact the Town when they wish to start the process.

The heritage designation ensures that future development cannot demolish or relocate your property. It also means that any significant renovations that could change the integrity of the property must be submitted for town approval to ensure it fits within the federal and provincial guidelines for the conservation and preservation of heritage properties.  

It does not mean that your property must be restored to its original appearance. It does not affect the use of the property and may only be applicable to the exterior of a building allowing for major internal renovations following the regular process through the permits department.  

Many of the small fixes that houses require are allowed on designated properties. Only major renovations or projects that affect the character-defining elements of the property will need approval before renovation to ensure that the integrity of the house remains intact. For example: If the floors in the house are original, renovations that involve cutting into, refinishing, or ripping up areas of the flooring would be subject to approval while projects that do not touch the floor would be allowed without additional approval needed.  

Yes, you can sell your property after it has been designated. The property will continue to be designated under the new property owners. 

The designation runs with the land so it can continue in perpetuity or until both the town and property owner decide to remove the designation on the property.  

If your property is on the Historic Inventory or Places of Interest List, it is not a designated property. You are able to do any renovations on the interior or exterior following regular town policies for major renovations through contacting the permit office.  

The Municipal Heritage Designation Program works with heritage resources. A heritage resource is defined as a structure, place, object or feature that carries significant heritage value. This could include buildings, landscapes, streetscapes, murals, or sculptures.