This Sunday, the public is invited to learn more about an application by the City of Richmond to Parks Canada to make Steveston a National Historic Site.
At the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., city staff will explain why the city intends to spend time and money to be nominated by Parks Canada.
“Steveston Village is already recognized nationally for its unique and important maritime, agricultural and boat building heritage. Earning a National Historic Site designation would be a well-deserved distinction” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie, in a news release last week.
The site is proposed to be named the Steveston Waterfront District, encompassing the tidal flats of the slowly-eroding Sturgeon Bank, Garry Point Park, parts of Steveston Village, Shady Island and London Heritage Farm.
The idea began officially in April 2014, with a report to city council. It was then that the idea to establish an official historic site was put forth in order to eventually apply for a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Loren Slye, president of the Steveston Historical Society, said such a designation would put to rest many development issues in the village as it would set in motion rigorous historical preservation standards.
However, a UNESCO designation would likely cost several millions of dollars and take years to process.
The public can also visit LetsTalkRichmond.ca to learn about the submission and complete the feedback form from today (Feb.10) through to March 5.
The final nomination will be forwarded to council for endorsement this spring, before being submitted to Parks Canada.
The city states that should the nomination be approved by the Minister of the Environment for National Historic Site status, the Steveston Waterfront District will join other designated districts in B.C. such as Vancouver Chinatown, Victoria’s Chinatown, Annapolis Royal Historic District, Powell River Townsite Historic District, and Old Town Lunenburg Historic District.
