Newsletter
In our SUMMER 2008 issue you'll find…
-> The New Manuals Are Here!
-> Taking heritage beyond "freezing buildings in time"
-> Heritage Funding Changes Further Municipal Engagement
The New Manuals Are Here!
At long last, publications to replace The Inventory Field Guide (1988) have arrived. Now a comprehensive stitched booklet series entitled Creating a Future for Alberta's Historic Places: Identifying, Evaluating, Managing, the manuals provide detailed, user-friendly instructions for individuals and municipalities wishing to identify, evaluate, and manage heritage resources.
"We've created these manuals to help people understand and to encourage them to participate in heritage activities," explains Heritage Survey Program Coordinator Dorothy Field, who looks forward to launching the publications.
The series is designed as a step-by-step guide to heritage conservation and complements Alberta's core Heritage programs. Each section provides a detailed breakdown, complete with sample forms and case studies, of the standard heritage practices and procedures necessary to identify, evaluate and properly manage historic places. The manuals were produced by the Alberta Government with the support of the pan-Canadian Historic Places Initiative, a Federal/Provincial/Territorial partnership created to foster a common vision of heritage conservation.
A collaborative effort of Dorothy Field, Matthew Francis, Matthew Wangler, Fraser Shaw and the members of the Designation Committee, contract staff, Judy Larmour and Michael Dougherty, and volunteer reviewers from around the province, the new manuals reflect both the growing appreciation of heritage in Alberta, and the Branch's commitment to the needs of Alberta's heritage communities.
The manuals have been created to be included in a binder for quick reference and ease-of-use. Complete sets of the manuals will be sent directly to our contacts within Alberta's municipalities and copies will also be available as PDF files shortly.
Taking heritage beyond "freezing
buildings in time"
As the recognition and development of local heritage resources can play a major role in creating sustainable communities, the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program (MHPP) seeks to support municipalities interested in finding ways to preserve their heritage through a variety of tools and incentives. Surveys, inventories, management plans, and assistance with the registry process are all services available through this flexible and innovative program. However, for communities that are new to the process, where to start could seem rather daunting.
Helping communities preserve and develop their heritage is the task of Michael Thome, MHPP Outreach Officer. A former Research Officer for the Heritage Resources Branch of the Government of Saskatchewan, Michael grew up in Calgary and is delighted to have returned to Alberta. Since March 2008 he has been traveling to communities across the province to promote MHPP and to help communities determine which program tools would work best for their community's heritage goals. Working in support of Matthew Francis, Head of MHPP, Michael's experiences in the field, along with his academic credentials, embody Canada's Historic Place's philosophy of awareness and engagement.
Michael completed his MA in History at the University of Saskatchewan in 2005, writing a thesis on the political career of Sir Frederick W.G. Haultain. "I was interested in researching the life of Frederick Haultain, so moving to Saskatchewan was logical," explains Michael. The premier of the North-West Territories prior to the creation of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Haultain was appointed Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Saskatchewan in 1912 and lived in Saskatchewan until his retirement in 1939 after over 50 years of public service. A provincial government building in Edmonton, an elementary school in Calgary, and a mountain in Jasper National Park are named in his memory.
"There are a variety of things that one can study under the rubric of history," states Michael, "and heritage is a natural fit. I’ve written dozens of Statements of Significance for various sites in Saskatchewan and they each connect with the history of the area. In Alberta, MHPP has been very successful at fostering heritage conservation and rehabilitation as community development. In our meetings with municipal councils, Matthew Francis and I are consistently impressed with the commitment to preserving local heritage. MHPP empowers communities with the tools and support they need to ensure the future of their historic places."
MHPP follows the Historic Places Initiative’s philosophy of heritage having an active role in communities. Michael is pleased to see heritage management and preservation moving beyond "freezing historic buildings in time. Preserving heritage buildings has taken on a new perspective. Adaptive reuse or re-purposing of buildings has been recognized as a valid way of retaining the past, but making a bridge to the future."
We encourage you to contact Michael directly if you or your community is interested in finding out more about MHPP.
Heritage
Funding Changes Further Municipal Engagement
The Leduc Historical Society has long recognized the importance of Dr. Wood's house in the story of Leduc. The society was the driving force behind the designation of the site as a Registered Historic Resource (RHR) in 1993, its re-purposing as a community museum later that year, and now its designation as a Municipal Historic Resource (MHR). The Society has made conscious efforts to retain the building's distinct architecture and maintain its integrity. To support these efforts, four grants from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation totalling almost $6,000 were used towards the restoration of the roof, windows, medical wing, and bathroom.
However, in December 2003, following an in-depth review of Alberta's heritage policies, the government decided to discontinue use of the 'Registered' designation and to revise the historic resource funding guidelines.
Larry Pearson, Director of Historic Places Stewardship for the Province, explains this decision: "Registered Historic Resources, which were eligible for considerable financial support from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation, are not protected sites, while Municipal Historic Resources are, but were not eligible for significant or on-going support. Not only were the Foundation's investments unsecured, but appropriate levels of support were not being given to municipally-protected historic places. Increased grant assistance will greatly aid the conservation of historic places of local significance and will provide added encouragement to Alberta's municipalities to take an active role in the management of their historic places."
Unlike RHRs, which only require owners to give 90 days' notice for any changes to the site, MHRs are legally protected by the Historical Resources Act, which empowers municipalities to override demolition or alterations which take away from the site's heritage value. This additional layer of protection, in combination with its implicit support of the municipality in heritage conservation, is a critical element of municipally-driven heritage programs including Alberta's Municipal Heritage Partnership Program (MHPP). Furthermore, as an MHR, Dr. Wood's House is eligible for provincial support. Through the Alberta Historic Resources Foundation's (AHRF) Historic Resource Conservation category, the municipality can apply for up to $50,000 per grant cycle for the preservation, restoration and/or rehabilitation of this valued local landmark. The changes to the funding guidelines for Registered Historical Resources (RHR) are designed to encourage municipalities to take control of the conservation, protection and development of their built heritage.
Owners of Registered Historic Resources can continue to access the professional and technical services available through the Historic Resources Management Branch. Funding for RHRs will be discontinued on March 31, 2009. While no new sites will be designated as an RHR, no sites shall lose their designation either. Instead, RHR owners have been strongly encouraged to approach their municipality and seek municipal designation.
Owners of Registered Historic Resources, as well as municipalities across Alberta, have all been informed of the coming change. Although RHRs often benefit from far-sighted owners and at times organized grass root support, municipalities are endowed with an infrastructure that can ensure continuity, a critical factor in heritage conservation. Most major urban municipalities have an established heritage program that provides a depth of knowledge to further local conservation efforts. Smaller towns and rural municipalities may include heritage issues within the portfolio of an existing staff member. These pools of local expertise, aided by the tools and programs available through MHPP and AHRF, enable decisions regarding heritage to be made at a local level and encourage municipalities to include heritage development in their municipal plans.
When the Leduc Historical Society heard that the funding guidelines to RHRs were changing, they quickly contacted Matthew Wangler (Head, Alberta's Historic Places Designations Program) and the local municipality. With the assistance of Historic Places and the cooperation with the municipality of Leduc, the designation of Dr Wood's house has been changed from being a Registered Historic Resource (RHR) to Municipal Historic Resource (MHR). Jennifer Grant with the city of Leduc states "The city understood completely. It was important for them not just to be able to apply for funding from AHRF, but also because they wanted to protect the building for the future."
Over the next year, it is anticipated that many of Alberta's 249 RHRs will be re-designated. Municipalities and owners of RHRs are strongly encouraged to contact Matthew Francis for more information or to assist with re-designation.
If you have questions, comments or something that you would like to see included in a future issue of RETROactive, please contact:
Richard Horne, Communications Coordinator
Historic Places Stewardship
Alberta Culture and Community Spirit
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