Nanaimo heritage

Audio recording and transcript of Chris Sholberg's presentation in 2008 to the Nanaimo Historical Society in which he talks about the City of Nanaimo's Heritage Conservation Program and about the Nanaimo Neighbourhood Network. Sholberg, who is the City of Nanaimo's heritage planner, gives a outline of the creation and development of the city's Heritage Conservation Program and he also highlights several of its accomplishments including: the creation of a Heritage Action Plan; the establishment of a Downtown Heritage Conservation Area; the creation of a formal heritage register for the city; the development of several different incentive programs to encourage conservation of local heritage buildings; and the city's early participation in the Historic Places Initiative. Sholberg also talks about the city's efforts to promote local heritage including: hosting heritage walks and creating accompanying brochures; publishing Columns, Cornices, & Coal, a book about Nanaimo's built heritage; hosting the annual Heritage Summit, which is a round table event for local heritage and culture groups to communicate updates about their organizations; creating a City of Nanaimo heritage webpage, and participating in annual heritage art events. Interpretive plaques are also developed by the city. Sholberg then introduces the Nanaimo Neighbourhood Network, which facilitates communication between and with multiple independent and voluntary neighbourhood associations throughout the city. Gord Fuller, vice chair of both the Nanaimo Neighbourhood Network and the South End Community Association, speaks to the mission of the Nanaimo Neighbourhood Network and also outlines some of the current heritage issues the South End Community Association is concerned about.