This Old House: Caring for Peace River's Historic Homes

The Town of Peace River, along with the Peace River Museum's Heritage Places Committee have been working over the past two years on preserving Peace River's historic buildings and sites. For more information on our efforts, please see these blogs. Northern Sunrise County has also embarked on a heritage survey and inventory this year. Both municipalities are working with consultants, Donald Luxton & Associates, to identify and promote the Peace country's built heritage.

We now want to begin giving homeowners and building industry workers in Peace River the knowledge to care for their own historic homes! A speaker series with heritage consultants from Donald Luxton & Associates will begin this month. The first presentation will be  Wednesday, April 3 at 7 pm at one of our own historic buildings - the Athabasca Hall.

This presentation will outline heritage conservation in the modern world and how it applies to the Peace River context. It will discuss some basic conservation principles that a building owner can do to improve energy efficiency and preserve the historical integrity of their home.

There is no charge for this event!

This is a highly recommended presentation for anyone in the construction and related trades and those who own historic homes.

 

St. James Anglican Church and Athabasca Hall, ca. 1940s.

 

 

 

Vintage Guns at the Peace River Museum

 

The Peace River Museum will be hosting local collector, Vern MacRoberts on Saturday, March 23rd from 2 to 4:30 pm. He will be bringing his fine collection of vintage firearms and Hudson's Bay artifacts. They will be available for viewing and to chat with Vern during that time. *EDIT: He will be speaking specifically to his collection at 3 pm*
His knowledge about the fur trade, trapping and antique firearms is extensive.

This is also the last day for viewing of our current exhibit: From Peace River to Paris: Fashionable Furs of our Century which focuses on historic and contemporary trapping as well as the fur industry over time.

Our next exhibit will launch in early April and will be curated by the Peace of Art Club. It is entitled: Peace River Art Club, 25 Years. Please keep an eye on our blog for more information!

Peace River's Built Heritage

Peace River's Main Street, 1916

The Town of Peace River Council recently passed a Municipal Heritage Management Policy! An established application process is now in place for property owners who want to protect their building through Municipal heritage designation. This document demonstrates Council’s commitment to preserving the Town’s built heritage. Our built heritage includes buildings and landscapes within the town limits.

The people behind this Heritage Policy are the Museum staff and the Heritage Places Committee which is comprised of six community members who have dedicated time and energy to identify and research historically significant places over the past three years.  The committee consists of Karen Rumball, Audrey Randall, Norm Brownlee, John Clarke, Judy Bowcott, Ken Herlinveaux, Beth Wilkins, Megan Purcell and Laura Gloor.  It was formed in 2010, with a matching grant from the Municipal Heritage Partnership Program with Alberta Historic Sites (www.mhpp.ab.ca)  and since has developed promotional material for prospective property owners, visited sites, photographed places, conducted research and interviews and promoted this community-based project at Open Houses, Trade Shows, and to Town Council and organizations. With the permission of their owners, ten places were studied in 2011 for their heritage value and ten more will be selected in 2013. The 2011 list can be found on our website www.peacerivermuseum.com

This year the Committee will be offering historic walks about the town to showcase some of this built heritage and with the help of heritage consultants at Donald Luxton & Associates will consult with the community through open houses and a speaking series about practical ideas of caring for your vintage home.  The first of the series will be April 3^rd, 7pm.

If you have suggestions for the Committee to consider, your input will be welcomed! You can post your idea here on our blog or on our online Survey .  If you have any questions, please feel free contact one of the committee members or the Museum (780-624-4261 or museum@peaceriver.net).