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Civil Defence Siren
Medicine Hat
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Civil Defence Siren consists of a siren and work platform on a 15 metre high steel pole equipped with metal rungs to provide access for testing and maintenance.
Heritage Value
The heritage value of the Historic Property is hereby described as historically significant as it reflects the prevailing fear of nuclear attack at the time of the Cold War and civil defence measures undertaken in response by the government. The Historic Property was erected in 1962 during the height of the Cold War as part of a national and community-wide warning system to alert the public of an impending air raid or nuclear attack. The system envisioned for Medicine Hat consisted of seven sirens, of which five were actually built and three remain today. The Historic Property is the only one remaining that is mounted on a steel pole, the other two remaining were on wooden poles and have been dismounted and retained as historical artefacts. The siren, which was provided by the Department of National Defence, is based upon technology used during World War II and included a pair of rotors generating 130dB wailing sound. All sirens were activated remotely from the telephone exchange based on a phone call from the military. The Historic Property, which is the largest of the remaining sirens, is an important symbol of this historic era.
Character-Defining Elements
The specific elements of the Historic Property considered to possess heritage value are specifically described as follows:
- location, height and orientation optimized to project audible warnings across surrounding neighorhoods;
- siren, mounted at the top of a steel pole - a Model 927290P as manufactured in Ontario by CLM Industries;
- siren mechanism of motor-driven rotors with metal horn to amplify and direct the warning signal;
- steel work platform close to the top to allow access to the actual siren for installation, maintenance and testing;
- metal box on the platform containing switchgear to allow for maintenance and testing;
- steel pole measuring about 15 metres high;
- steel foot pegs located on the pole to allow climbers access to the top; and
- buried concrete base adequate to support the structure.
Location
| Street Address: |
Located in laneway between 3rd Street SE and 4th Street SE |
| Community: |
Medicine Hat |
| Boundaries: |
Located in the laneway between 3 Street SE and 4 Street SE, approximately 12 metres east of Divison Avenue South |
| Contributing Resources: |
Structure: 1
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ATS Legal Description:
PBL Legal Description (Cadastral Reference):
Latitude/Longitude:
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Latitude |
Longitude |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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50.03539 |
-110.68666 |
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UTM Reference:
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Northing |
Easting |
Zone |
CDT |
Datum Type |
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Recognition
| Recognition Authority: |
Local Governments (AB) |
| Designation Status: |
Municipal Historic Resource |
| Date of Designation: |
2017/06/06 |
Historical Information
| Built: |
1962 to 1962 |
| Period of Significance: |
1960 to 1974 |
| Theme(s): |
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| Historic Function(s): |
Defence : Military Defence Installation
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| Current Function(s): |
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| Architect: |
Department of National Defence
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| Builder: |
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| Context: |
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Additional Information
| Object Number: |
4664-0400 |
| Designation File: |
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| Related Listing(s): |
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| Heritage Survey File: |
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| Website Link: |
www.medicinehat.ca |
| Data Source: |
City of Medicine Hat, City Clerk Department, 580 - 1st Street SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8E6 |
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