958 
The City of Edmonton wants homeowners of heritage properties to have the tools required to keep their character houses in tip-top condition. From February to April, the City is hosting an expert-led seminar series intended to inform owners of heritage assets, and those simply interested in heritage preservation, about what it takes to maintain the attributes that make the property a valued contributor to Edmonton's urban fabric.
This Old Edmonton House offers heritage homeowners 11 evening courses covering a wide range of subjects, each with the goal of helping them understand the special roles and responsibilities of maintaining a heritage property. The John Walter Museum, nestled in the river valley, serves as the venue for many of the classes, giving participants the opportunity to tour the historic homes on the site and gain first-hand knowledge of heritage preservation.
"One of the best ways to ensure the preservation of identified heritage homes and formally designated heritage homes is to give their owners the confidence to deal with repairs or suitable upgrades," says principal heritage planner David Johnston. "Lots of people who own homes on what we call the Inventory of Historic Resources want to help us maintain historic homes in the best possible condition, but they just don’t know how."
Subjects vary in discipline from mechanical and electrical systems to roofs and exteriors. One of the courses, the most expensive in the series at $50, invites Edmontonians on a walk through a private historic home to evaluate the structure for potential problems. Another session gives participants the chance to liaise with City archivists and heritage planners, who will guide heritage homeowners through the process of researching their property.
"These courses will equip them with some do-it-yourself skills by demystifying elements of the home, or will at least enable them to deal with contractors from a position of knowledge," says Johnston.
Resources listed on the heritage inventory are not formally controlled or protected. Designation as a Municipal Historic Resource, which confers protection on an asset, involves the preparation of a full report, contractor's quotes for repair work, the drawing up of a contract, and submission of a special bylaw for the specific building. The City has a catalogue of about 815 heritage properties, with approximately 450 of them homes. Roughly 40 of those homes have received formal heritage designation.
Dates, times and sign-up information for the seminars can be found on the City website.
