The County of Grande Prairie is hoping a new policy will help lay out the process for residents to make designating a site or artefact in the region one of historical significance.
While a number of buildings in the county have been given the title in recent years, including the Immaculate Heart Church, and Teepee Creek Hall back in 2012, Reeve Leanne Beaupre says the purpose of the policy is to both encourage and enable preservation.
“I think this policy will help landowners in that process whether they’d like something either to have a historical significance or have it recognized as a historical place in the County of Grande Prairie.”
Beaupre says while the policy can do a lot when it comes to the potential exposure of sites, it will not be able to help when it comes to funding, which is the stance they traditionally take. She adds that it could also help clear up the idea for some that because something is historical, doesn’t mean it allows the owner to make a profit.
“You may be required to allow people to see it without any financial contribution, so we really want people to understand what the whole procedure is and what the importance is in recognizing and maintaining some of these historical artefacts.”
Beaupre adds past councils have been working on establishing around 20 sites already designated historically significant in the region, and the list continues to grow. She hopes they will be able to push through more ideas for debate when it reaches the Historic Resources Committee.