Alberta Culture has awarded about $100,000 to several heritage preservation and conservation projects in Central Alberta.
The grants are among $1.03 million awarded to 58 projects across the province in 2013-14.
Grants have been awarded to individuals as well as municipalities, non-profit organizations and businesses.
The funding is intended to support a range of heritage preservation projects from conservation of designated historic buildings to research projects, publications and heritage inventories.
Local projects include:
l Olds Institute for Community and Regional Development / Uptowne Olds gets $43,750 in Main Street Program funding for a project to revitalize the community’s historic downtown core. The money will support development, design and marketing.
l Ermineskin Cree Nation at Maskwacis receives a $22,350 research grant to record and transcribe oral history interviews with Ermineskin Cree elders. The project is intended to create awareness of the history of the area Plains Cree and help to instill pride in aboriginal youth and foster a sense of community. The project will further promote a better understanding of Ermineskin Cree history among the non-aboriginal population. Transcriptions will be bound and published.
l Stettler’s Rocky Mountain Rail Society gets $16,560 in historic resource conservation funding for its Steam Locomotive 6060 project.
l The Old Court House Professional Centre Ltd. in Red Deer gets $5,300 for conservation at the old Red Deer Court House, a provincial landmark.
l Lacombe and District Historical Society receives $6,500 for Roland Michener House. The birthplace of Daniel Roland Michener, Canada’s governor-general from 1967 until 1974, Roland Michener House has been largely restored to its turn-of-the-century appearance.
l Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society in Markerville receives $2,520 for its heritage signage replacement project. Funding will assist with the purchase of 14 heritage markers for the Markerville walking tour. The signs direct visitors to significant buildings in the community including houses, stores, schools and churches.
l Dakota Community Historical Society in Ponoka got two publication grants to preserve area history. The Dakota History Book — Before 1961 gets $1,850 and Historical Memories of the Dakota District will receive $780.