Category: Historic Places Stewardship Section

Interpreting an Icelandic Settlement

editor, RETROactive

Markerville Tour Booklet Re-vamped and Re-launched!

cover of the Markerville & District Historical Tour booklet
Markerville & District Historical Tour booklet

The Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society has just published a 3rd edition of the Markerville tour booklet. Re-named Icelandic Settlement: Markerville and District Historical Tour, the revised and re-designed booklet is packed with information and historic photographs.

Starting in the late 19th century, settlers of Icelandic descent arrived and started building a community on the banks of the Medicine River. The hamlet of Markerville never grew to any great size, but it was a vibrant community with several businesses as well as a church and hall. The Icelandic heritage of the early settlers gave Markerville a distinctive character.

Today, Markerville has four Provincial Historic Resources that help tell its story. The Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society owns and operates three: the Markerville Creamery, the Markerville Lutheran Church, and the Fensala Hall. The Stephansson Memorial, located just across the Medicine River in Markerville Park, is also a Provincial Historic Resource.

Close by is another Provincial Historic Resource, the Stephan G. Stephansson House, home of an early settler who became famous for his poetry in the Icelandic language. The house is also the centerpiece of the Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site, one of the interpretative sites run by Alberta Culture.

Markerville is located southwest of Red Deer, at the centre of Alberta’s historic Icelandic settlement area. This part of the province is not only scenic, it has a wealth of historic interest as well.

The tour booklet provides background information, and a route map to guide you through the tour.

Alberta Culture assisted the Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society in revising the tour booklet; the society also received funding from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation to assist with the cost of its publication. Copies of the booklet are available from the Society at the Markerville Creamery Historic Site in Markerville.

Written by: Dorothy Field, Heritage Survey Program Coordinator

Forum 2013 – Thank you!

Matthew Francis
forum attendees 2013
Participants in the 7th Annual Municipal Heritage Forum, gathered at Knox Church in Old Strathcona, September 20th, 2013.

On behalf of our whole Municipal Heritage Services team, we would like to express our sincere thanks to all those of you who participated in this year’s Municipal Heritage Forum at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village and in the Old Strathcona Provincial Historic Area. The weather was gorgeous, we had fun together, and learned a lot about “The ABCs of Conservation.” 

Your contribution really helped to make the 7th Annual Municipal Heritage Forum a very positive event. We couldn’t have done it without you all! Whether you were presenting or just there to connect and share your local knowledge and experience, it all made a big difference.

You should see some of the great content from “The ABCs of Conservation,” including HD video of some of the Forum presentations, featured here on RETROactive over the next few weeks.

See you next year at Forum 2014! 

Meet our new Historic Places Research Officer

editor, RETROactive
Allan Rowe
Allan Rowe, 2013.

Greetings everyone,

My name is Allan Rowe, and I am the new Historic Places Research Officer. Following the example set by my colleagues, I’m taking a moment to introduce myself.

I am originally from British Columbia, born in White Rock and raised in the beautiful Okanagan Valley. Halfway through my grade twelve year, I made the fateful decision to change my upcoming college major from computer information systems to history, and I haven’t looked back. I completed my BA in history at the University of British Columbia in 1994, and followed up with a Public History Diploma at Simon Fraser University. It was during that time that I got my first taste of heritage work as a summer student at a small British Columbian museum. In my case, it was the Elphinstone Pioneer Museum (now the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives) where I spent the summer of 1996 answering tourists’ questions about The Beachcombers (we were located just up the road from Molly’s Reach – apparently The Beachcombers was a huge hit in Japan).

Unable to find permanent work in the heritage sector, I spent two tedious years working in corporate cell phone distribution (ugh), until the muse of history called me back to service and I received my MA in Canadian History from SFU in 2000. I then moved to Edmonton to pursue my Ph.D. at the University of Alberta, and during my time as a graduate student, I was fortunate enough to work with Historic Places Stewardship on several occasions, mostly working on heritage markers and assisting with the Alberta Heritage Survey Program. I finished my Ph.D. in history in 2008 and taught Canadian, Irish and American history, most recently at Keyano College in Fort McMurray. Though I enjoyed my time as a history instructor, I have always been fascinated by the heritage sector, and I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to join the Historic Places Stewardship team in Edmonton.

On the personal side of things, I am blessed with a great wife and three amazing daughters, whose own interests range from bird-watching to dog-sledding to Shakespeare. I enjoy cooking (with mixed success) and continuing to learn as much history as possible. I remain a staunch Vancouver Canucks fan, and I welcome everyone’s scorn and derision.

I’m excited to join the team and I look forward to meeting everyone in person.

Written by: Allan Rowe, Historic Places Research Officer.

Agenda for the Municipal Heritage Forum

Michael

Forum 2013 - Header Image

The Municipal Heritage Forum 2013 begins in a few days!

We just finalized the agenda. Here, hot off the (electronic) press, is the event program and a list of the breakout sessions offered. Please be green and don’t print these documents if you’re attending the forum. We’ll provide you with copies of each when you register.

Matthew, Val and I look forward to seeing many of you on Thursday and Friday.

And, if you can’t attend, don’t fret, We’ll recap the highlights on the blog over the next several weeks.

Written by: Michael Thome, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

Want to attend Forum 2013? Register NOW before it’s too late!

Matthew Francis

Forum 2013 - Header Image

We are thrilled at the eager response to our upcoming Municipal Heritage Forum – the “ABC’s of Conservation,” taking place September 19-20th.  That’s two weeks away! It’s going to be a great time of learning, inspiration, and fun. Registrations have been pouring in, and there are limited spaces remaining. Be sure to register online ASAP to reserve your place! The Forum is free of charge to all attendees.

Registration will close September 12th, or before if we reach our capacity.

Forum participants are invited to attend the Alberta Museums Association’s Opening Reception, Thursday evening,September 19th. Tickets (for the reception only) are $40 each and can be purchased here.

There are also opportunities to participate in the Forum:

Show and Tell opportunities at the Forum

Municipality Show & Tell: Medicine Hat Heritage Resources Committee
Municipality Show & Tell: Medicine Hat Heritage Resources Committee at Forum 2012

Has your community been involved in some really compelling heritage work this year? Is there a conservation project you are eager to share with others?

Back by popular demand, this year will feature our community “show and tell” sessions on both Thursday September 19th at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village and Friday September 20th at Knox Church in Old Strathcona. While we have already lined up some excellent updates from communities, we do have room for a few more, and would like to give you this opportunity to get involved and showcase your community’s good work.

“Show and tell” presentations should be:

  • No more than 15 minutes long
  • Fun
  • Accompanied a few slides or images – a picture’s worth a 1000 words!
  • Can be about facing community heritage challenges, not just success stories;
  • About a heritage project undertaken within the last year – it can be completed, or a work-in-progress.

If you are interested in “showing and telling,” your heritage happenings, contact Matthew Francis at matthew.francis@gov.ab.ca or (780) 438-8502, toll-free by first dialing 310-0000.

Why Architects?

carlolaforge

To help in planning of course!

In an earlier post, I talked about the importance of proper planning before undertaking work on a designated historic resource. Throughout my career, I have discussed, planned and observed many different types of projects involving modern and historic buildings. I have worked on simple maintenance projects, such as roof replacements or re-painting, and more elaborate ones, such as restorations and additions.

Providing advice to heritage building owners is the most enjoyable part of my work as a conservation adviser. Nevertheless, the size and scope of some projects are quite large. Buildings are made of a variety of materials, like stone, brick and wood. Skilled tradespeople, such as masons, carpenters and electricians know how to care for each material (or building system). Historic building conservation usually draws on the expertise of an exceptionally wide variety of skilled tradespeople. Making a plan to address problems with any major component requires a group of skills that only architects possess. This is why architects can be so helpful.

A project’s size or complexity should not discourage you. I recommend hiring an architect to help identify, prioritise, and cost the required conservation work on any large project. The architect’s report, often called a “conservation plan,” is invaluable. The plan will explain the problem, propose possible solutions and is a useful reference should the work need to be phased out over time.

Hiring an architect is just like hiring any other professional: just as some contractors are not familiar with the principles of heritage conservation (described in The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada), some architects are not skilled in this area either. Fortunately, my fellow Heritage Conservation Advisers and I can help you plan a heritage conservation project (call us), which can include advice on how to hire the right architect.

Although hiring architects cost money, the benefits make it worthwhile. Architects know how to analyse a building for problems, they can propose creative solutions and help you select and supervise the right tradespeople. This is why architectural and engineering services have their own grant category within the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation’s Historic Resource Conservation program.

Not all projects or interventions require the services of an architect, but having the planning and scope of work established by contractors alone on large projects can lead to a bad outcome. Having a uniform and properly outlined conservation plan developed by an architect (or engineer, depending on the problem) makes it easier for conservation advisers to approve projects and for contractors to provide accurate cost estimates.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by large conservation projects. It’s true what Steve Smith said at the end of every episode of his Red Green Show.

Written by: Carlo Laforge, Heritage Conservation Adviser.

Vulcan goes where few municipalities have gone before

Michael

Vulcan has developed a plan

Vulcan County, the Town of Vulcan and the Village of Champion are once again working together (you might even say they’ve federated) to conserve their shared heritage. With the aid of a Municipal Heritage Partnership Program grant, they will create a heritage management plan over the next year.

Dedicated readers may recall that these three communities (along with the Villages of Carmangay and Milo) surveyed and inventoried several historic resources last year. They identified several places of interest—sites that warrant further evaluation due to their probable historical or architectural significance. Vulcan’s HAB has already confirmed that many of are significance—that is, they somehow physically embody some aspect of Vulcan’s history.

Knowing that they have several sites that are significance and have integrity, the Vulcanites have turned their attention to figuring out how to protect their locally significant historic resources. That is why they have chosen to develop a heritage management plan. During the next year, they will develop a policy and process to designate locally significant historic resources. Many locally significant sites will be designated as Municipal Historic Resources.

The management plan will lay out the application process and how each municipality will decide what to designate. This will include determining what types of sites they will designate, how the consent of the owner (to designation) will be obtained how the public will be consulted. It will ensure that each proposed designation will be evaluated for historical or architectural significance. This significance will be written down as a statement of significance.

The management plan will also lay out how permits to alter a Municipal Historic Resources will be processed. This involves creating an application process. A proposal to alter a site should describe what is being proposed and why. The municipality then needs to evaluate the proposed change using the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. The plan will identify who will process these permits and propose a means of training these agents in the use of the Standards and Guidelines.

The final step will involve exploring what incentives each municipality could offer to encourage the owners of Municipal Historic Resources to conserve them. A successful municipal heritage conservation programs recognizes the need to assist the owner of historic places with the cost of their conservation. The incentive could be grants or tax credits. Any program or service that defrays the cost of operating a property work as incentives too. (You can read Managing Historic Places: Protection and Stewardship of Your Local Heritage for more on heritage management planning).

I’m looking forward to working with Vulcan on this project. When it is done, they will join a select few communities that have completed a survey, inventory and management plan with our assistance. The Vulcans will soon be well poised to protect and conserve their historic places and we’ll all be richer for it.

Written by: Michael Thome, Municipal Heritage Services Officer

Come work with us – help create a future for Alberta’s historic places!

Matthew Francis

Do you have a keen interest in conserving historic places? Do you enjoy travelling across Alberta, and meeting new people?

We are looking for a new Municipal Heritage Services Officer to join our team.

Old St. Stephen's College, home to the Historic Resources Management Branch
Old St. Stephen’s College, Edmonton, home to most of the offices of the Historic Resources Management Branch

This is a meaningful career opportunity where you can put your education and passion for heritage to work in a meaningful way. The Historic Resources Management Branch is seeking an energetic individual to provide a full suite of heritage advisory services to municipalities and communities. You will be joining a dynamic team working to conserve designated historic places in Alberta. The Municipal Heritage Services Officer connects stakeholders with the services of the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program and the Alberta Main Street Program. If you are a heritage professional, an effective communicator, highly organized and a collaborative problem-solver, this opportunity is for you.

Online applications are preferred. To apply online, please visit https://www.jobs.alberta.ca/.

For more information, please contact ctpr.jobpostings@gov.ab.ca.

Todd Babiak talk about how historic places embody our stories

editor, RETROactive

Municipal Heritage Forum 2013–meet one of our keynote speakers

A photograph of Todd Babiak.
Todd Babiak

Todd Babiak is a Canadian writer and entrepreneur living in Edmonton. Todd understands the important place stories hold in our lives and the power of historic places to help us understand the stories that make up our identity as individuals and as a community.

Todd is co-founder of Story Engine, and has published three bestselling novels. His first novel, Choke Hold, was a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the winner of the Henry Kreisel Award for Best First Book. His second novel, The Garneau Block, was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Alberta Book Award and itwon the City of Edmonton Book Prize. His third novel, The Book of Stanley is in development as a television series. His screenplay The Great One, co-authored with Jason Margolis, won a Praxis Screenwriting Fellowship. Todd Babiak’s fourth novel, Toby: A Man, was published by HarperCollins in January 2010. It was shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and won the Georges Bugnet Award for best work of fiction by an Alberta author. He was, for 10 years, a columnist at the Edmonton Journal.

Have you registered for the 2013 municipal heritage forum yet? Space is limited. Space is limited, so please register online today.

Bernard Flaman talk about the ABCs of conservation

editor, RETROactive

Municipal Heritage Forum 2013–meet one of our keynote speakers

a photograph of Bernard Flaman.
Bernard Flaman (Don Hall, 2013).

Bernard Flaman will deliver a keynote address at the 2013 Municipal Heritage Forum: The ABC’s of Conservation. He is a registered architect with a great deal of experience in heritage conservation. He will talk about some of the projects he’s worked on to illustrate how the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada are used to make timely and wise conservation decisions.

Bernard’s primary research area focuses on modernist architecture, and he has publications about the Saskatchewan Power Corporation Headquarters in Regina and the design of Canadian airports in the 1960’s. He has participated in the development of UNESCO’s policy on the inclusion of modern heritage into the World Heritage Sites program. His book Architecture of Saskatchewan: A Visual Journey, 1930-2011 was published in 2013.

Bernard’s advocacy for appropriate heritage conservation extends beyond the professional and academic. The renovation of his 450 sq. ft. condo in a designated Municipal Heritage Property (Saskatchewan’s version of a Municipal Historic Resource) in Regina was published in the September 2009 issue of Canadian Architect magazine and has received both a Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governors Heritage award and a Prairie Design Award.

Have you registered for the 2013 municipal heritage forum yet? Space is limited. Space is limited, so please register online today.