This project was funded in part by the Government of Alberta.
January 28, 2026
January 15, 2026
#1 - Why Preserve Our Heritage Buildings
#2 - The Benefits of Heritage Designation
#3 - The Process of Heritage Designation
December 15, 2025
Open House - Wednesday January 14, 2026
November 20, 2025
Nanton’s Heritage Building Project is advancing with grant support, community involvement, and guidance from Community Design Strategies Inc. (CDS). Following the September Open House , 13 high-priority sites were identified from 24 candidates, forming the “Places of Interest List” (POIL):
- Nanton Hospital – Keen Building
- Creighton Residence
- W.S. Keeley Hardware
- Shaw and Cooper Block
- Fetherston’s Grocery
- Auditorium Hotel
- Nanton Drug Company
- Denoon’s Meat Market
- Nanton News
- Nanton Telephone Exchange
- Scout Hall
- Masonic Hall
- Dr. McKeage’s Dental Office
CDS has completed a heritage survey for each site and is finalizing updates to Alberta’s Heritage Resource Management Information System (HeRMIS). Each resource is being evaluated for eligibility, significance and integrity to determine suitability for future designation. Successful evaluations will proceed to Statements of Significance (SoS), which detail heritage value and character-defining elements – essential for formal designation.
Additionally, CDS has prepared Context Paper summarizing Nanton’s history, which will be included in the final report. All evaluations, Statements of Significance, and the Context Paper will be presented to the community in January 2026, providing residents with an opportunity to review and comment.
September 12th, 2025
Heritage Building Project Open House - Update
August 18th, 2025
The Town of Nanton is excited to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Heritage Preservation Partnership Program. This grant will fund research on up to ten properties that could potentially be designated as historic places.
With this grant, the Town has engaged Community Design Strategies Inc. (CDS) to assist in identifying and evaluating heritage sites for future community consideration. The CDS team has already conduced a preliminary review of over 85 heritage buildings listed on Alberta’s Heritage Resources Management Information System (HeRMIS). These buildings include commercial, residential, institutional and industrial buildings. This review provides the CDS team with an overview of Nanton’s unique heritage buildings, particularly in the downtown area, as well as our institutional landmarks.
Additionally, the CDS team is preparing a context paper that will offer a brief overview of Nanton’s history in relation to fifteen themes of Alberta’s history, including resource development, urban development, spiritual life, and business and industry. The results of their research will help create a storyline that will assist in identifying high-priority sites for further evaluation.
We invite community members to join us at an upcoming Open House September 16th. This event will be a great opportunity to view the high-priority sites, learn about the historic resource designation process, share your knowledge on the history of the sites, and help identify which sites hold significant heritage value for the residents of Nanton.