Trust Events

Illustrated Public Lecture Series

Heritage Trust sponsors monthly illustrated lectures related to heritage buildings. Talks may focus on architectural history, the events and persons associated with a building or place, or other building-related topics such as restoration. Read more to find out what is coming up or call us at 423-4807.
Location:
NS Museum - Auditorium, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax.

Admission:

Free admission and the Public is invited to attend.
Note: NS Museum parking lot is pay by the hour 24 hrs/day. Parking on the street is free in the evening.


Schedule Winter 2012

Thursday, January 19
Tom Urbaniak
(Political scientist, Cape Breton University)

“Toward a Heritage Charter for Nova Scotia: A Practical Policy Agenda


Conserving heritage places is about much more than “registering” buildings and holding random protests. It’s about good tax policy and smart incentives. It’s about making sure public infrastructure money does more good than harm.  It’s about coordinating heritage objectives with housing, economic development, public health, and other policies and programs. Political scientist Tom Urbaniak will propose a Heritage Charter; it will be an outline for a practical provincial omnibus bill to make it easier to identify, retain, and re-use our sites, districts, and cultural landscapes. The point is to safeguard Nova Scotia’s identity, generate good local jobs, give a boost to struggling communities, and transfer to future generations the tangible products of centuries of accumulated wisdom.
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Tom Urbaniak, Ph.D., is a political scientist at Cape Breton University in Sydney. He was recently elected to represent Nova Scotia on the Board of Governors of the Heritage Canada Foundation. Part of his work has been at the intersection of heritage conservation, economic development, and housing. Tom’s books include Action, Accommodation, Accountability: Rules of Order for Canadian Organizations and Her Worship: Hazel McCallion and the Development of Mississauga. He is frequent media analyst on public affairs, giving interviews in English and French. Tom serves on the Cape Breton Regional Library Board and the board of Centre communautaire Etoile de l’Acadie. He is a member of the Canadian Polish Research Institute. One of the recent heritage projects for which he provided assistance and leadership is the revitalization of Sydney’s Polish Village Hall, owned by Canada’s oldest Polish community organization. Tom resides in the multicultural community of Whitney Pier, close to the site of the former Sydney steel plant.  

 

Thursday,  February 16
Laura DeBoer
(Urban archaeologist)
"A Tale of Two Buildings: The Archaeology of the Robertson Store and Albro's Brick Warehouse"

Both visitors and locals have come to know the Robertson Building on Lower Water Street as a distinct piece of Halifax’s shipping and ship building heritage thanks to its preservation and the partial reconstruction of its displays as a part of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The structure is the result of a union of two separate buildings used for different, but related, purposes. Beginning in the spring of 2011, an archaeological building survey has been conducted in order to generate both a record of the building as it exists in the present, and a reconstruction of the building’s changes over time. This archaeological approach provides focus on the material history of the building, its phases and styles, which in turn delivers insight into those who have used and altered the building since its construction.

Thursday, March 15
Royce Walker
(Chair, McNabs Island Advisory Committee)
What We Have Left Behind: Structures Built on McNabs Island

Thursday, April 19
Claire Campbell
(Historian, Dalhousie University)
Reuse, Reinvent, Relocate: How Canadian Cities Manage their Historic Properties

Thursday, May 17
Jeffrey Reed
(Heritage consultant)
TBA

Thursday, June 21 *
TBA

Please note:

* The June lecture begins at 8 pm, following the Annual General Meeting at 7:10 pm.

 

Past Schedules of Events

Thursday, October 20, 2011at 7:30 pm
"Nothing Happened Over There: Researching Prince's Lodge, Birch Cove and Rockingham."

Our second lecture of the season will be Sharon and Wayne Ingalls' illustrated talk "Nothing Happened Over There: Researching Prince's Lodge, Birch Cove and Rockingham." Sharon and Wayne recently published "Sweet Suburb", a local history that documents the many significant events that took place along the western shore of Bedford Basin. You will learn about the impact of duc d'Anville's fleet on the Mi'kmaq and on the founding of Halifax in 1749. The authors will also speak about a forgotten army camp at Birch Cove for British soldiers defeated in the American War for Independence. In addition, the stories and tales that have grown up around Prince's Lodge will be discussed.

Copies of the book will be available for $35 (cash or cheque).

 

2011 Winter Lecture Series

Thursday, January 20 at 7:30 pm
Paul Bennett ~ Endangered Schoolhouses: The “Palace Schools” of
Victorian and Edwardian Nova Scotia


Monday, February 21 at 7 pm*
Sara Beanlands ~ The Life and Legacy of the Rev. Dr. Andrew Brown
*Please note: This talk takes place at 7 pm at St. Matthew’s United Church, Barrington Street.

Thursday, 17 March at 7:30 pm      
Graeme Duffus ~ History of Masonry and Architecture:
Stirling, Cobb, and Duffus

Thursday, 21 April at 7:30 pm
Iris Shea ~  The Pool House in Jollimore:
Uncovering the Mystery of this 19th century house, its Original Location and Owners

Thursday, 19 May at 7:30 pm
Conrad Byers ~ The Role of Building Civic Pride through Buildings Thursday, 16 June at 7:10 pm

Annual General Meeting
(Lecture to follow at 8 pm)
Andrew Powter ~ An Illustrated Presentation on the Painted Rooms of
Nova Scotia

 

2010 Fall Lecture Series

Thursday, 16 September at 7:30 pm
Dr. Allan Marble ~ “Would you like to live in these Houses?”

Thursday, 21 October at 7:30 pm
Dr. Ian Cameron ~ “Lawlor’s Island: the Quarantine Story”

Thursday, 18 November (Time and place TBA)
Annual Dinner
Speakers: Elizabeth and Philip Pacey ~
“Travels with Charley’s Office: Keeping a Nova Scotia Landmark”

Thursday, 20 January, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Dr. Paul Bennett ~ “Palace Schoolhouses in Nova Scotia”

Special Lecture and Performance
Saturday, September 11 at 7:30 pm St. John’s Anglican Church, Lunenburg Tickets $15 ($5 students at the door).
A Celebration of Music in Historic Churches
Gordon Callon, Adjunct Professor of History and Musicology at Acadia University will lecture on English Theatre Songs from Robert Johnson to Henry Purcell followed by music by Byrd, Johnson, Wilson, Wm Lawes, Purcell, and Draghi

17 June, 2010. 8:00 PM (FOLLOWING the AGM which begins at 7:10 PM)
Speaker: Marilyn Gurney
Topic:   “The King’s Yard”

20 May, 2010, 7:30 PM
Speaker: Brian Robinson
Topic:  “History of Fortified Towns - Halifax’s Fortified Heritage"

15 April, 2010, 7:30 PM
Speaker: Garry Shutlak
Topic: David Stirling’s Houses

18 March, 2010
Speaker: Father Maurice LeBlanc
Topic: “Acadian Painting in Acadie”

Fr. LeBlanc will discuss the evolution of painting by Acadians, beginning at the end of the 19th century, up to the establishment of a Department of Fine Arts at l‚Université de Moncton in 1963. Father LeBlanc is a graduate of l‚Université Sainte-Anne and Gregorian University, Rome. A retired professor of Art History and Artistic Director, he lives in West Pubnico, where he enjoys painting and choral music. The talk is one in a series of free public lectures held by Heritage Trust of NS.  Everyone is welcome.

18 February, 2010
Speaker: Arthur Irwin
Topic: “A Chapel with a Wonderful Personality” St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Laurie Park

Energy Consultant and CBC Radio Noon expert Arthur Irwin will speak about St. Margaret's Church in Oakfield at the Nova Scotia Museum on Summer Street at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18.
St. Margaret’s of Scotland Church was built by an Englishman, Lieutenant General John Wimburn Laurie. He arrived in Canada in 1861. In 1865 he purchased 800 acres in Oakfield and established one of our earliest communities. He brought twenty families from England. This beautiful structure was built from the pine logs on the estate for the family and servants, modelled after the Old English tradition. The chapel was one of the first buildings to be erected which was followed by a school, post office, stable, sawmill, stage coach inn, railway siding and two quarries. Three generations of Lauries are buried behind the Chapel.
 In October, 1999, Arthur Irwin was asked by the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia, to assist in the planning process to make the building more energy efficient. Mr. Irwin has dealt with several hundred historic structures throughout his career but this example of a wonderful “Historic Gem” had a special significance and presented a number of interesting challenges as he upgraded the energy efficiency of this unique structure.
The original oil lamps are still hanging from the high ceilings, a leather bound bible on the lectern inscribed “Oakfield Church 1868”. A beautiful stained glass window behind the Altar remains intact.   
"Simplicity, warmth and a quiet elegance produced from the surrounding stately pines caught my attention," says Mr. Irwin. "I visualized an imaginary sign stating, 'Do not disturb' hung across the dark stained interior wainscoting which reminded me to prevent any signs of man made footprints.”
All of the exterior walls have been upgraded, insulated, windows replaced and a new heating system installed. The “Chapel In The Pines” will hopefully stand for another 130 years, respecting our forefathers contribution to our heritage !
The meeting is open to the public, free of charge and is sponsored by the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. Light refreshments will be served.

Presentation of Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia Built Heritage Awards

Date: February 15, 2010
Time: 3:00 – 5:00 PM (Presentations begin – 3:30 pm, Reception to follow)
Location : Halifax City Hall (Halifax Hall) Argyle St. Halifax ...more

21 January, 2010
Speaker: Peter McGuigan talk about "The early history of St. Mary's University (1802-1952)"
at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, in the auditorium of the Nova
Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer Street, in Halifax.
The evening is sponsored by the
Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.
The public are invited to attend.


Past Events 2009

Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Annual General Meeting at 7:10 pm
Guest Speaker: Jonathon Fowler
Interpreting Acadian Houses in the Pre-Deportation Period

Thursday, May 21st, 2009
Struggle to Open, Struggle to Survive: St. Mary's College 1802-1952)
Peter McGuigan

 

Workshops

TBA

 

Walking Tours

TBA

 

Open Houses

TBA