Heritage

Heritage Society

About the Bay Roberts Heritage Society

The Bay Roberts Heritage Society’s mission is to preserve, protect, and present the history and culture of the Bay Roberts area. The Society was founded in 1989 and incorporated in 1991 in an effort to stem the erosion and destruction of the last remnants of the history and culture of the Town.

Most recently the Heritage Society has been involved in having Cable Avenue declared a Municipal Heritage District.

Efforts to preserve the Town’s Heritage have received international recognition. Eric and Betty Jerrett were recently awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals for their work in preserving heritage. Congratulations are in order as well to Mayor Phillip Wood and Marilyn Dawe, members of the Heritage Advisory Committee who were also awarded medals.

 

 

Mission Statement
The Society mission statement is: “To preserve, protect, and present the history and culture of the Bay Roberts area”. In order to be proud of the past, our history must be preserved, presented, and promoted. In that regard, the citizens, the Society, and the Town must work together as partners for the benefit of present and future generations.

Logo
The circle represents a porthole providing a window on our past and our marine heritage. The codfish was the determining factor in the settling of Bay Roberts. The flat rocks in the beaches of Bay Roberts East afforded an opportunity to dry fish without the use of flakes. In later years, a major salt fish plant was established in the Town. The fish symbol was painted on the door of the plant. The dots and dashes spell out Bay Roberts Heritage Society in Morse code and are emblematic of the Western Union Cable Company and its socio-economic impact on the Town.

The Operation
Policy is determined by the Society. At the request of the Society, each Council has assigned one or two Council representatives as liaison persons. There is also a Heritage Advisory Committee for the Heritage Society.

“Friends of The Museum” organization has been established for those who would make a valued contribution on an as-and-when-available basis. This group meets on the first Thursday of each month, except during the summertime, and new members are always welcome. The contribution of these “Friends” is essential to the ongoing operation of the museum and gallery.

Praise for Bay Roberts’ Heritage Value

The Cable Building was designated a national historic site of Canada in 2007 because it was an important keystone in transatlantic communications and in the development of the Western Union Telegraph Company network. Its construction represents the corporate entity that dominated the transatlantic telegraph industry from 1912 to the 1960s; – its design is a strong corporate symbol of the telecommunications giant and a direct affirmation of the impact of the telegraph industry in the 20th century. Moreover, its design introduced to Newfoundland a new type of telegraph station that was more functional and highly specialized in its layout; and, – it was a flagship of telegraph technologies, illustrating Western Union’s important role as an innovative industry leader. In the late 19th century, Newfoundland became a major hub for the development of telecommunications networks as it offered the shortest route to link North America and Europe. In 1910, the first transatlantic cable for the Western Union Telegraph Company was landed in a temporary building in Bay Roberts.

By 1913, the current Cable Building in Bay Roberts was built to serve as the main relay between the North American and European networks of Western Union Telegraph. Its establishment was a key component in the company’s international strategy and its architectural design is important corporate evidence of the expansion and dominance of Western Union in Newfoundland. The design of the Cable Building also introduced a new type of telegraph station to Newfoundland as it adopted the Western Union Telegraph corporate model. The architecture demonstrates a functional and specialized layout with rooms dedicated to specific equipment, technical operations, and administration. From its technical design to the connecting cables, the Cable Building was a flagship of telegraph technologies, illustrating Western Union’s important role as an innovative industry leader. From HistoricPlaces.ca

 

For more information about the Heritage Society, check their website or email them:
bayrobertsheritagesociety.com
bayrobertsheritagesociety@hotmail.com

Bay Roberts Heritage Advisory Committee

 

Committee Members

• Marilyn Dawe, Chair
• David Dawe
• Judy French
• Trudy Hutchings
• Eric Jerrett
• Eric W. Mercer
• Eric S. Mercer
• Marilyn Oates
• Melvin Mercer
• Councillor Ross Petten

Introduction

The Bay Roberts Town Council on December 12, 1995 adopted Municipal Heritage Area Regulations specifically to protect the Shoreline Heritage Walk region. In 2004 the Council appointed a Heritage Advisory Committee to advise Council on matters related to heritage preservation. The Council recognized that significant heritage structures in the Town were disappearing. There was a need to conserve and protect heritage buildings, structures and areas for their historic and aesthetic value and for their potential to improve the local economy through tourism related businesses.

 

Heritage Advisory Committee

Since its appointment the Heritage Advisory Committee has been active in recognizing the heritage of the Town of Bay Roberts. In the early years it helped the Town develop Heritage Regulations. Based upon these Regulations it has recommended the designation of three Municipal Heritage Sites – the Caplin/Myers Building, Bay Roberts Railway Station and Western Union Cable Building – and one Municipal Heritage district – Cable Avenue. It also worked with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador to have Cable Ave designated as a Registered Heritage District by the Province. Recently the Committee applied for and received a Registered Heritage District Grant for work on Cable Avenue trees and the production of a brochure for the Avenue. It has also recently developed interpretive panels for three historic churches in the town.

Large size (PDF) – The Caplin/Myers Building, Bay Roberts Railway Station, Bay Roberts Cable Building (also a Registered Heritage Structure and National Heritage Site), and Registered Heritage District.

Photos of three church panels

Large size (PDF)

St.Matthew’s Anglican Church , St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, and Central United Church

 

Heritage Regulations

The Town in 2009 with the assistance of the Heritage Advisory Committee established Heritage Regulations to help recognize and preserve the Town’s heritage sites. Through these regulations the Town can designate any building, structure or land as a heritage building, structure or land. Once designated, a heritage building, structure or land should not be demolished or built upon, nor the exterior of the building or structure altered except under written permit of Council. A designated property owner will receive an exterior plaque recognizing the property as a Municipal Heritage Site.

Municipal Heritage Site Plaque

 

Heritage Regulations >>

Municipal Designation Process

Individual(s) who own heritage property make application for designation. Application is reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee who makes a recommendation to Council. Council either designates or does not designate property. A designated property owner will receive an exterior plaque recognizing the property as a Municipal Heritage Site. Once designated, a written permit should be obtained from Council before the exterior of a building or structure can be altered, a structure or building demolished or land built upon. Council will refer permit applications for designated property to the Heritage Advisory Committee for a review prior to approval of permit.

Application for Designation >>