Category: Authors

What’s New with the Alberta Heritage Survey? (11.01)

Alberta's Historic Places

Special Exhibit: Photographic Memory

The Alberta Heritage Survey is a collection of data and photographs documenting over 100,000 historic resources across the province. The database is still growing, and is accessible online via HeRMIS, the Heritage Resources Management Information System: Heritage Survey on HeRMIS. Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the Heritage Survey is the thousands of images that have been taken for it since 1968. This column will feature stories about images that are being added to HeRMIS, and the sites they illustrate, so check back for updates. Meanwhile, you can take in an exhibit that features the Heritage Survey photo collection, Photographic Memory, at the Provincial Archives of Alberta until December 2011. (Click on the image below for more information.)

The PAA is located at 8555 Roper Road, in Edmonton. Map  Driving Directions

Email: paa@gov.ab.ca

Phone: (780) 427-1750  Reading Room Phone: (780) 427-1056  (Toll Free: First dial 310-0000, then dial the full ten-digit phone number of the office you wish to reach.)

Please Note: The Heritage Survey exhibit can be viewed during regular open hours, Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm, and until 9 pm on Wednesdays. It will be up until the end of January. Please note that the Provincial Archives of Alberta will be closed December 26-28, 2011.

Written by: Dorothy Field, Heritage Survey Program Coordinator

New Heritage Conservation Adviser

carlolaforge

Greetings stewards of Alberta’s heritage,

I am a new Heritage Conservation Adviser working for the Historic Resources Management Branch at the Ministry of Culture and Community Services.  Having just moved here from New Brunswick, I am looking forward to learning more about Alberta’s distinct heritage and adapting my architectural knowledge to help you conserve it for future generations.

Carlo assessing the foundation of the main barn located on Minister’s Island Provincial Heritage Place, New Brunswick.

Prior to my current position, I was a Project Executive for the Government of New Brunswick’s Heritage Branch.  I provided technical advice on conservation methods based on the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. I worked with government owned sites and processed applications for historic designations under the New Brunswick Heritage Conservation Act.  Before working in heritage, I dealt with Building Codes and Capital Maintenance issues as an Architectural Technologist for the Community Colleges and Employment Counselling Offices in New Brunswick, and as an Operations Coordinator for a property management firm in Ontario.  These experiences have enabled me to see both sides of the coin in terms of the challenges faced in maintaining and upgrading our historic resources, while at the same time conserving heritage values for the future.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts and Honours degree in the combined majors of Art History and Architecture from Carleton University, as well as a diploma in Architectural Technology from Algonquin College.  In my job experience I also obtained certifications as a Professional Technologist and as a Qualified Building Code Official.  From a heritage perspective, I also represented New Brunswick in the review of the second edition of the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada and provided examples for a Parks Canada study on how the Building Code can affect or is applied to heritage buildings.

Leaving my family, friends and colleagues in New Brunswick and Ontario wasn’t a very easy decision, but I am certain that the new experiences I will have in Alberta will make me glad that I did.

Best regards,

Carlo Laforge

NOTE: Carlo will be responsible for serving the Edmonton Region. Please click here to view a map of Alberta showing the areas serviced by all of the Heritage Conservation Advisers.

All the Presentations: 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum

Alberta's Historic Places

Recent blog posts featured the presentations shared during the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum. The complete collection is accessible via the following links:

“Roadmap to Success” – Thank you for a great FORUM! – A brief overview of the two day event.

“The Other Side of the Rockies” – The keynote presentation, which featured case studies from British Columbia.

What information did you miss? – Presentations from the four breakout sessions.

Remembrance Day – A photo essay featuring the venue – the beautiful Prince of Wales Armouries.

“Show and Tell” – A Learning Exchange! – Presentations about municipal heritage projects.

Do you want to be memorable? – A presentation about making your community visitor friendly.

Thank you for your interest and attendance at the 2011 Forum. Planning for the 2012 Municipal Heritage Forum is already underway!

Written by: Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer


Do you want to be memorable?

Michael

What makes a community memorable? How can a community encourage tourists to return? Shelia Campbell spoke about these issues at the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum. Promoting a community’s historic resources is one way a community can distinguish itself.

Shelia Campbell, a Tourism Product Development Coordinator with Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, challenged us to think about what makes a trip memorable. Is your community visually appealing? Can visitors find their way easily? Are services offered of good quality? Can visitors find good information about your community? How can historic resources contribute to these goals?

Click here for a copy of the presentation.

For a complete collection of the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum presentations, please click here.

Written by: Michael Thome, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

“Show and Tell” – A Learning Exchange!

Alberta's Historic Places
Members of the Village of Holden Historic Resources Committee

The 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum on October 27th and 28th featured “Show &Tell” sessions. Several municipalities working on municipal heritage planning projects with the assistance of the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program shared their experiences with the attendees. A mix of rural and urban municipalities spoke about their heritage projects, showcasing the opportunities, challenges and rewards that can result from identifying and evaluating potential historic places.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Yellowhead County – Debbie Charest, Director of Community & Protective Services

Yellowhead County’s Municipal Heritage Program – talked about how the County prepared to complete a Municipal Heritage Survey.

City of Lacombe – Peter Bouwsema, Councillor/Heritage Steering Committee

Overview of Lacombe’s Heritage Program – spoke about some of Lacombe’s historic resources and how the City is working to conserve them.

City of Edmonton – David Holdsworth, Principal Heritage Planner

Neon Light Museum, Historic Resource Management Program – talked about Edmonton’s plans to develop a museum of historic neon signs.

Smoky Lake County – Twila Bauman, former Planning & Communications Manager

Smoky Lake Region: Survey and Inventory Project and Heritage Management Plan – talked about the final year of their three year regional project.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Village of Holden – Katherine Whiteside, Chief Administrative Officer

Village of Holden Heritage Program – an overview of their Municipal Heritage Survey and Inventory, and future plans.

City of St. Albert – Ann Ramsden, Director of Heritage and Ian Morgan, Associate with HIP Architects

Conservation of St. Albert’s Grain Elevators – talked about the recently completed conservation work on two municipally owned grain elevators.

City of Calgary – Clint Robertson, Heritage Planner

2011-12 Calgary MHPP Project – Bridges – an overview of Calgary’s inventory of all the bridges and crossings located in the city.

Municipal District of Big Lakes – Cathy Wilcox, Grants Manager

Heritage Site Survey – talked about how GIS assisted with planning their Municipal Heritage Survey.

These presentations provide insights and inspiration to other municipalities interested in developing a local heritage conservation program. If you have any questions about how your municipality can participate in the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program, please contact MHPP staff.

Note: For a complete collection of the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum presentations, please click here.

Written by: Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

Remembrance Day

Michael

Several buildings constructed for Canada’s military are designated historic resources. These places can help us understand how soldiers preparing for service lived and worked. Tomorrow being Remembrance Day, we thought it appropriate to feature a piece of Alberta’s military history – the historic resource that Municipal Heritage Forum attendees experienced firsthand at the end of October.

The Municipal Heritage Forum was held at the Prince of Wales Armouries in Edmonton. Most participants enjoyed meeting in this historic place. The Prince of Wales Armouries is a great example of how to adaptively repurpose a historic place.

Several City of Edmonton staff members provided an excellent behind the scenes tour of the facility. We learned how the building was rehabilitated to meet its new role as an archive, museum and meeting facility. As part of the tour, we had the opportunity to hear Timothy O’Grady (Archivist, City of Edmonton Archives) speak about the history of the building. Click here to view Timothy O’Grady’s photo essay.

The Prince of Wales Armouries was built in 1915 to give the Department of National Defence a place in Edmonton to train men for service in the militia. Essentially a huge drill hall, the soldiers who trained here served Canada in both world wars and in many other operations. In recognition of the building’s historic use and its distinctive architecture, the armouries was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 1979 and then a Municipal Historic Resource by the City of Edmonton in 2004.

The City of Edmonton acquired the facility in 1977. In 1989 the city began constructing a new archive facility in the centre of the drill hall. The Armouries is now home to the City of Edmonton Archives and several museums.

For a complete collection of the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum presentations, please click here.

Written by: Michael Thome, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

What information did you miss?

Matthew Francis
Municipal Heritage Services Staff, L-R: Michael Thome, Brenda Manweiler and Matthew Francis.

At the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum, “Roadmap to Success,” four concurrent breakout sessions provided by staff of the Historic Places Stewardship Section, Culture and Community Services allowed attendees to learn about managing a successful municipal heritage conservation program. Find out what you missed: click below to obtain PDF versions of the presentations.

“Creating Heritage Advisory Bodies that Work for your Community” – Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

Heritage Advisory Bodies (HABs) are boards, committees or commissions established through municipal bylaw. The community members appointed to the HAB advise council on heritage conservation matters and assist with the implementation of heritage initiatives (such as a Municipal Heritage Survey or a Municipal Heritage Inventory). This presentation discusses the ingredients necessary to establish an effective HAB.

“How to Designate and Approve Interventions to Municipal Historic Resources” – Michael Thome, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

A Municipal Historic Resource may not be destroyed, disturbed, altered, restored or repaired without the written approval of the applicable municipal council, or their designate. This presentation provides an overview of the designation and alteration approval processes.

“Getting your Municipal Historic Resources Listed on the Alberta Register” – Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Heritage Services

The Alberta Register of Historic Places is a listing of formally recognized historic resources in Alberta. Owners of Municipal Historic Resources and Provincial Historic Resources listed on the Register may apply for cost-shared conservation funding through the Historic Resource Conservation category of the Heritage Preservation Partnership Program. This presentation reviews the eligibility and listing process.

“Understanding the Standards & Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada” – Fraser Shaw, Heritage Conservation Advisor

The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada provides practical guidance on the preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources. This presentation is a general introduction to the principles and recommended/not recommended actions contained in the Standards and Guidelines.

NOTE: For a complete collection of the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum presentations, please click here.

Written by: Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

“The Other Side of the Rockies”

Alberta's Historic Places

On Thursday, October 27, at the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum, “Roadmap to Success,” Berdine Jonker, Senior Heritage Planner with the BC Heritage Branch, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, travelled over the Rockies to share her expertise and the experiences of the BC Heritage Branch. As the keynote speaker, Berdine discussed how values-based heritage conservation is completed in British Columbia. She showcased a heritage context study completed for the City of Prince George, featured a cultural tourism workshop conducted with the Nisga’a Lisims Government and discussed design guidelines that were developed for the City of Grand Forks, all through the use of a values-based approach.

For a copy of Berdine’s presentation and supplementary information, please click on the following links:

“The Other Side of the Rockies: B.C.’s Experience with Community Heritage Context Planning”

Prince George Heritage Context Study

City of Grand Forks Heritage Program

BC Heritage Branch

Thank you, Berdine, for travelling to Alberta and presenting at the Forum! MHPP staff and Forum attendees really appreciated learning about some of the municipal heritage initiatives occurring in British Columbia.

For a complete collection of the 2011 Municipal Heritage Forum presentations, please click here.

Written by: Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

“Roadmap to Success” – Thank you for a great FORUM!

Matthew Francis

On Thursday, October 27th and Friday, October 28th, ninety-seven registered participants representing twenty-seven municipalities from across Alberta gathered at the historic Prince of Wales Armouries in Edmonton for our 5th annual Municipal Heritage Forum. From the Town of Pincher Creek in the south, to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in the north, and all places in between, each Forum attendee contributed a unique element to our “Roadmap to Success.”

We were very pleased to have with us Berdine Jonker, Senior Heritage Planner for the Government of British Columbia, as our keynote speaker. Berdine’s presentation on heritage context planning, “The Other Side of the Rockies,” opened up a lively conversation between all attendees, which continued over the two days of the Forum. In addition, it was a privilege to have with us the Honourable Heather Klimchuk, the new Minister of Culture & Community Services, who brought us some important concluding messages.

A good time was had by all who were able to attend the Thursday evening reception at Rutherford House, Provincial Historic Site & Provincial Historic Resource.

All of the presentations given at the Forum will be soon posted on RETROactive and also on the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program website, for your benefit. Stay tuned for updates!

Having been involved in organizing each Forum since 2007, I can say personally that this year’s gathering was a dramatic leap forward. Each community “showing and telling” about its work – at all different stages – demonstrated strong ownership and first-hand experience and knowledge of heritage conservation planning. It is truly amazing to see how much has been learned and put into practice!

On behalf of the staff of MHPP, I would like to thank each of you for attending the Forum, and also for filling out your evaluation forms. We received 38 evaluation forms filled with useful comments! Your suggestions are greatly appreciated and will go towards making Forum 2012 an even more practical and helpful event. It’s great to work with each of you as we create a future for Alberta’s historic places.

Written by: Matthew Francis, Manager of Municipal Historic Services

Heritage at the Prince

Alberta's Historic Places

Today and tomorrow the annual Municipal Heritage Forum is being hosted at the Prince of Wales Armouries, in Edmonton. This impressive building was constructed in 1914-15 as the Edmonton Drill Hall. In 1979 it was designated a Provincial Historic Resource and in 2004 the City of Edmonton designated it a Municipal Historic Resource. The facility currently serves as the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre. The current tenants include:

– City of Edmonton Archives

– Edmonton Heritage Council

– Telephone Historical Centre

– Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum

– Edmonton Arts Council

To learn about the historic significance of the Prince of Wales Armouries please click here.

Written by: Brenda Manweiler, Municipal Heritage Services Officer