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Flexibility

Flexibility is at the core of all activities associated with the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program. Although the program has a structure designed for municipalities unfamiliar with heritage planning, all projects can be tailored to meet the needs of your municipality.

Meeting your needs

The needs of each municipality in relation to heritage planning will vary. All activities can be tailored to local circumstances such as incorporating a heritage plan into a larger management planning exercise or entrenching a survey or inventory into area redevelopment plans. The projects supported by MHPP are adaptable to current work in order to be maximally useful for each municipality.

Take advantage of what has already been done

Historical research and documentation completed by museums, municipal staff, societies and other groups can be used as valuable sources of information. Previous work can supplement surveys or inventories associated with MHPP.

Change the order of work

If a unique heritage planning situation exists in a municipality, it may be appropriate to alter the order of projects. Perhaps an inventory of previously identified structures could be a first step, or a management plan can help organize pre-existing elements of a municipal heritage program.

Proactive or reactive approach

Through a proactive approach a municipality actively seeks out, evaluates, and protects historic resources by completing a survey and/or inventory as well as designations that include a number of potential resources. A management plan is also part of a proactive heritage response, which ensures a municipality is adequately prepared to respond to heritage issues.

A reactive approach is one in which a municipality responds to designations on a case-by-case basis, as demand arises. The reactive method often creates constrained timelines and does not reflect an organized approach to heritage conservation. The reactive approach however, results in protected places and is a legitimate way of dealing with historic resources on a limited scale.

The most mature heritage program will include a combination of both a proactive and reactive approach. A municipality that has taken the initiative to seek out, evaluate and protect its resources, has planned for its program and can react to sudden heritage issues (such as designation requests) will best serve the public when heritage planning is concerned.