Social heritage refers to the history and cultural identities of people in a particular region. It includes physical elements such as monuments, documents, and artefacts. It also includes oral traditions, customs, folklore, languages, music, dance, celebrations, and special skills.

HRM offers social heritage programs and services. The principal aims of existing social heritage programs and services include:

• facilitating interactive public programming; and
• management of cultural artefact collections and heritage facilities.

HRM is now looking for your ideas and input to develop a Social Heritage Strategy for our region, which will shape future policies and programs.

For more information on Social Heritage:
Seamus McGreal
Social Heritage Planner
mcgreals[at]halifax.ca
tel: (902) 490-5113
fax: (902) 490-5950

Social Heritage Strategy

HRM has recently begun to direct much attention to its social heritage programs. The Social Heritage Strategy will address the current issues facing social heritage and serve to provide direction for developing future social heritage programs.

The Strategy will describe HRM’s purpose and role in delivering programs that reflect community feedback and align with heritage programs offered by other organziations.

For more information on the development of the Strategy, refer to the Questions & Answers fact sheet, below.

SHSQuestionsAnswers (PDF)

Interactive Public Programming

HRM seeks to increase public appreciation of the region’s rich history and heritage assets through innovative commemoration, interpretation, and education projects. Please contact us if you have an idea for a project that will build public awareness, understanding, and, ultimately, appreciation of heritage.

HRM can offer in-kind services to help facilitate your project.
Contact Seamus McGreal, Social Heritage Planner, with questions at 490-5113 or mcgreals[at]halifax.ca.

Can I name a street or park after an aspect of our heritage?
Yes, as development continues in the municipality, there are opportunities to name new streets, parks, sports fields, and buildings. Visit the Commemorative Name Program web page to include a notable person, group, historic event, geographic feature, native flora, or fauna on a list of future place names.

Your submission could be on a new street sign or a new park in your community! Contact Gayle MacLean, Civic Address Coordinator, with questions at 490-5347 or civicadd[at]halifax.ca.

Are there funds available to support my heritage project?
Yes, for information on financial support for your project, please visit the Community Grants Program web page and review the Community History category in the Grants Guide Book, available for download.

Contact Peter Greechan, Grants & Contributions, with questions at 490-7310 or greechp[at]halifax.ca.

Collections, Facilities, and Museums

Collections
HRM owns one cultural artefact collection and many other heritage assets. The collection features approximately 42,000 artefacts. The collection focuses on the geographic area of Dartmouth and therefore is a community collection rather than a regional collection. In 2005, HRM entered into a collection management agreement with Dartmouth Heritage Museum Society to manage this collection on behalf of HRM.

HRM also owns several hundred heritage assets, including artefacts, artwork, plaques and gifts. This grouping of objects has not been collected through an official process with an accession policy or by a curator. The grouping includes assets acquired by HRM Fire & Emergency Services, the Halifax Regional Police, City Hall, and HRM staff.

Facilities and Museums
HRM does not currently operate a municipal museum. However, HRM owns four properties of historical significance from which community museums are operated by local groups through management agreements.

Three museums operate out of the four heritage facilities:
Evergreen House (Dartmouth Heritage Museum Society)
MacPhee House
Scott Manor House (Fort Sackville Foundation)
Quaker House (Dartmouth Heritage Museum Society)

Links

Halifax Regional Municipality
Heritage Property Program
Municipal Archives
Halifax Regional Libraries

Government
Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage
Canadian Heritage/Patrimoine canadien

Heritage Organizations within HRM
For a comprehensive list of federal, provinical, and local heritage organizations located within HRM, visit the Nova Scotia heritage directory.

Federal Museums within HRM
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21