Kerrobert Water Tower

The Kerrobert Water Tower is a Municipal Heritage Property occupying 6 lots in the Town of Kerrobert. The property features a wood-clad, Standpipe Water Tower.

The heritage value of the Kerrobert water tower resides in its architecture. Known as a Standpipe and designed to resemble a coastal lighthouse, this cylindrical tower is capped by a conical roof. The wood-frame façade doubles as insulation for the metal tank inside. Windows spiral up the white façade parallel to an interior stairwell which connects the ground floor to the roof. The lighthouse design is enhanced by three decorative bands. Only ten Standpipe Water Towers were built in Saskatchewan and this is one of the remaining four.

The heritage value of the Kerrobert Water Tower also resides in its historic use and association with the community. Not only a desirable modern convenience, municipal waterworks were a necessary prerequisite to obtaining fire insurance during an era when wood-frame construction was predominate. Connecting a storage tank placed several meters above ground to the distribution network by means of a vertical pipe was the only practical means of pressurising water before electrical pumps became realistic alternatives in the 1950s. This water tower has fed Kerrobert’s waterworks since its construction in 1914. As the tallest structure on the skyline, and with “Kerrobert” and “1914” printed on one side, this water tower has become a landmark.

Source:

Town of Kerrobert Bylaw No. 670.

The heritage value of the Kerrobert Water Tower resides in the following character defining elements:

-those elements that reflect the unique architecture, including its massing and shape, the three equally spaced bands, the conical roof, and the walkway and guard railing surrounding the roof’s base;

-those elements that reflect its association with the community, such as the location on its original site, colour scheme and signage.