Canada tackles backlog of historic plaques
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada is clearing a backlog of hundreds of commemorative installations, including 44 in British Columbia.
Nine bronze plaques honouring distinguished citizens, historic sites and events have been sitting in crates — in some cases for years — at the Fort Langley field office.
Some designations date to the late ’60s and early ’70s, but the approach of Canada’s 150th birthday has kick-started the installation process, Parks Canada says.
Parks staff are sifting through lists of names associated with the official designation of each plaque to locate people to invite to the ceremonies, in many cases the children or grandchildren of honourees, if there are living relatives.
Typically, a plaque is cast and a ceremony is organized, but with so many ceremonies to plan, some of the backlogged plaques will be unveiled through social media.
The new Liberal government is encouraging the use of digital media “to maximize the reach of government announcements,” Parks Canada said.
Parks Canada is accelerating unveilings to ensure as many plaques as possible are announced as part of Canada 150 celebrations, which begin Dec. 31.
Plaques for all 44 designations are to be unveiled by the summer of 2019.
The late writer Roderick Haig-Brown was designated a Person of National Historic Significance earlier this year.
An avid fisherman and outdoors enthusiast, Haig-Brown was an outspoken advocate for the environment and humanity toward aboriginal people.
“He was a conservationist before we had a word for it, so his writing was cutting edge and thoughtful in that respect,” said Celia Haig-Brown, Roderick’s daughter. “It’s nice to see as history unfolds that there is an appreciation for his work. It’s still enormously relevant today.”
The Haig-Brown plaque is tentatively scheduled for installation in Campbell River next spring.