The Heritage Resources Committee of the City of Lacombe has launched a project to update Lacombe’s Heritage Survey & Inventory.
Heritage researchers and community volunteers are scanning the City - updating files, taking photos and recording data – all to help preserve Lacombe’s Heritage.
A Heritage Survey is the first step in heritage preservation – actively identifying which historic resources remain in the community. Lacombe’s Heritage Survey was last updated in 2010 and included over 250 resources.
The City is currently updating this work by better understanding what resources are remaining in the City and expanding timeline criteria to include more mid-20th century resources.
A Heritage Inventory is a filtered list of significant resources. Lacombe has been actively evaluating sites over the years. This project will allow for a more concerted effort to assess, research and document the significant heritage resources in Lacombe. Heritage Inventories are typically developed by evaluating sites listed on the Places of Interest List. This project was funded by the City of Lacombe and in part by the Government of Alberta.
The Places of Interest List (aka POIL) sits between Survey and Inventory. It is a listing of sites that have heritage potential and may require further investigation. Currently, Lacombe has 109 sites listed on the POIL.
The current update includes reconnaissance, reviewing those 109 sites, and adding new sites to POIL. Sites are added to POIL by recommendations from historians, municipal staff or HRC members and/or specialized heritage researchers – but more importantly, heritage places are added via community engagement and input.
Heritage Preservation is a community-driven process. The community has the first and often final say on heritage preservation activities. Engagement activities (including two open houses) will run throughout the fall.
Local residents are encouraged to watch for a booth or tables to pop up at various community events including the evening of Oct. 13 during the Farmer’s Market at the LMC.
This month, the community also launched the Community Survey. It is available online at Lacombe.ca or in hard copies which are available at the engagement/popup events. It is a short survey but is expected to supply the project with a wealth of data and information.
This information will guide both survey work and evaluation and assist in a better understanding of the community’s awareness, interests, and passions for heritage, which is an essential part of the overall project scope.
The project scope includes:
1. Review and update the survey and inventory – update the status of previous Heritage Survey & POIL sites; add 1950-1971 sites to the survey; assess and add sites to the POIL; and inventory up to 15 heritage resources.
2. Public engagement – inform overall project outcomes and elevate public awareness and interest in Lacombe’s Heritage.
3. Incentives review – review current and possible future sources for funding heritage preservation activities.
The overall outcome of the project scope is not only heritage preservation but also intended to assist in decision-making about historical resources.
Ultimately, heritage stewardship is about identifying what is important and managing the evolution of these sites.
Proper stewardship allows for better decisions regarding significant sites and reduced administration when managing sites of lesser significance, added the release.
“Lacombe takes a lot of pride in its heritage and in seeing it continue to contribute to the community. Lacombe’s Heritage Survey & Inventory project will enable the City of Lacombe to manage change better while protecting Lacombe’s Heritage – intertwining the past with Lacombe’s bright future.”