SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Robertson Headframe has gained national notoriety in the 10th annual endangered places list put together by Heritage Canada The National Trust.

An Ottawa-based non-government organization has named the Robertson Headframe to its annual top 10 list of endangered heritage buildings in Canada. Colleen Quinn, a representative who was involved in selecting the 10 sites out of about 50 entries, said the headframe represents mining heritage and by extension Canada's history. It should be preserved if that is what Yellowknife residents want, she said. - NNSL file photo

The list was released July 17 and includes sites all across Canada, including Vancouver's west side character homes and Edmonton's historic Paramount Theatre on Jasper Avenue.

Not to be confused with the federal Department of Canadian Heritage, which is often called Heritage Canada, the Ottawa-based Heritage Canada The National Trust aims to use the list to raise awareness about buildings with historical significance which are under the threat of being destroyed.

The group tries to bring landmarks to the public eye which could be under threat due to weak legislation, inappropriate development practices or just plain neglect.

Sites are usually picked to be regionally representative and reflective of concerns raised by the community in question.

"We had just been made aware of the headframe by either a different organization or an individual that (the potential tear-down of Robertson Headframe) was happening," said Carolyn Quinn, director of communications for the group.

"It is definitely a landmark in town and an important piece of the mining heritage in the area. It quickly floated to the top of our list as a place of significance."

There were about 50 entries that the organization considered this year in its list, she said.

Quinn said even though the head frame was constructed in 1977, it is still worth preserving because it has such a deep connection with mining history in Canada. By extension, this means it is part of Canada's history as well, she said.

"It is already closing in on being 40 years old and in Canada, the federal government assesses its own buildings for heritage value when the buildings turn 40 years," said Quinn. "So a building doesn't have to be 100 years old or covered in Victorian bric-a-brac to qualify for having significance."

Sites are never repeated in the list, either, said Quinn. She admits the organization knows that the topic is controversial among Yellowknife residents this year.

In June, members of the NWT Mining Heritage Society protestors packed city hall to stop the demolition of the headframe.

Beyond raising awareness, however, the trust, in some circumstances, tries to share ideas or connections to other heritage buildings that have overcome similar challenges.

"The headframe obviously has its own unique set of challenges because it is pretty specific to its history," said Quinn. "I don't think at this point we can sweep in and tell people what to do. It is more about acknowledging and recognizing the cultural value of the site and supporting ideas or helping. It is really the people in Yellowknife who it belongs to."

NWT Mining Heritage president Walt Humphries, who has been very vocal about needing to preserve the headframe agreed that any attention is good attention.

"I think it is great and nice to see them recognize the headframes and grain elevators as being buildings that we are losing," he said. "Unfortunately, with a lot of these things once they are gone, they are gone. Certainly this bolsters our cause a little."

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