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Why
do we conserve places and objects of historical and cultural
significance?
 The
1999 Australian Burra Charter for the Conservation of Places
of Cultural Significance probably answers this question best
when it states - because “they provide a deep and inspirational
sense of connection to community and landscape, to the past
and to lived experiences. They are historical records, that
are important as tangible expressions of [our] identity and
history.” They “reflect the diversity of our
communities, telling us about who we are and the past that
has formed us…They are irreplaceable and precious.”
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In
2006, Oak Bay celebrated its centenary as a municipality. But
of course before it was incorporated, there were pioneer farmers
and fur traders settling here under the auspices of the Hudson’s
Bay Company from the mid-1800’s, and before they arrived
Spanish and English explorers navigated the coastal waters, and
even before these last arrived the original First Peoples, the
various groups of the Straits Salish, lived, fished and traded
in various locations throughout Oak Bay. Artifacts provide evidence
of settlements dating back 3000 years. |
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It
is this accumulation of history that Heritage Oak Bay seeks to
commemorate for the benefit of citizens and visitors alike. The
notion of what is heritage has evolved over time, from the preservation
or restoration of individual existing buildings to the inclusion
of cemeteries, landscapes, gardens and streetscapes; from the
tangible bricks and mortar to the intangible cultural. spiritual
and artistic vestiges of the past; from the notion that economic
development and heritage preservation were at opposite ends of
the planning spectrum to one where they can even co-exist and
thrive together; from the sense that heritage was a matter of
what happened only in Victorian days to one that now includes
the recent past; and from the idea that heritage only concerned
elite groups to one where all members of society are included. |
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Heritage
Oak Bay takes
the broadest and most inclusive approach in its view of preserving
and promoting heritage. The definition will no doubt continue
to expand and evolve over the years to come, and our views
will likewise evolve. We invite you to explore Heritage Oak
Bay's website, we welcome your feedback and we hope that you
will delight along with us in the heritage treasures that Oak
Bay has to offer. |
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