Learn how the Register and Inventory Program started and expanded over the years.
2008: City-wide Study to Assess Modern Resources
A city-wide study assessed buildings built up to 1959 in recognition of a significant collection of modern resources. The modern structures selected were added to the Inventory. The Register and Inventory continues to expand as significant resources are identified.
2005 to 2007 - New Heritage Plan Developed
The format of the Register and Inventory changed between 2005 and 2008. The Historic Resource Management Plan was updated because:
- the federal and provincial heritage preservation standards changed
- the inventory of designated heritage resources increased
The process featured a series of visioning exercises that were held in 2006 and 2007 to ask those with interest in heritage matters where they would like to see Edmonton in 20 years.
The process aligned itself with national terminology, standards and processes. “A” and “B” designation of resources was removed, and all resources were given equal value.
Summary of Vision, November 2006
Summary of Vision, February 2007
The Art of Living 2008-2018
1995 - City Council Meeting
The Register and Inventory of Historic Resources in Edmonton and the Historic Resource Management Program was presented to City Council.
While the Register and Inventory lists, identifies and locates each of the Historic Resources, the Historic Resource Management Program describes how these resources will be monitored and managed by the City.
1992 - Project Team to Identify all Historical Resources
A project team identified significant buildings, bridges, landscapes, cemeteries, trees, architectural fragments, street furnishings and monuments to add to the Inventory. Natural resources, monuments, cemeteries and fragments were listed separately as Appendices. Historic resources of all types were evaluated using nationally recognised criteria.
1988 - City-wide Inventorying Project
City Council directed Administration to "conduct a comprehensive inventory of all historical and architecturally significant buildings in Edmonton."
A system was developed to evaluate buildings consistently. At that time, the Register and Inventory had two groupings of Resources; the “A” and “B” Lists. “A” listed buildings were considered to be the more historically significant than the “B” listed buildings.
1984 - First Register of Historic Buildings
In response to City Council's request to be notified when demolition threatened any heritage buildings. Initially, only downtown buildings were inventoried. This list gradually expanded to include the inner city residential communities surrounding downtown Edmonton and Strathcona.
The inventorying was done without a consistent standard with limited staff to manage the list.
