Heritage in New Westminster. It’s complicated. For some folks it feels like it’s overwhelming and there is way too much attention given to it. For other folks it feels like heritage is a precious, perishable substance that is not being given the attention it truly deserves.
There’s no question New Westminster is always in some sort of a conversation about heritage. If it’s not about the high school and the history it sits on, it’s about heritage homes. And if it’s not about heritage homes, it’s about colonization.
When most folks think about heritage in the Royal City, they think about longstanding European traditions such as May Day and the anvil salute. And many consider those traditions intrinsic to the city. But it all depends on your viewpoint.
If you’re in the exploited, colonized camp, chances are your view of the value of preserving such traditions is less than enthusiastic. The same symbols of quaint heritage can be symbols of oppression.
For some readers, all of the hand-wringing about the city’s proposed heritage conservation area in the Queen’s Park neighbourhood may just seem like rich folks fighting over how much more money they can squeeze out of their expensive homes.
If you’re having trouble finding a rental suite you can actually pay for and also feed your family, it definitely seems to be a tempest in a teapot. But if you’re someone who has spent years scrimping and saving to be able to buy an authentic chimney for your craftsman-style heritage home – then it’s about much more than an investment; it’s a true labour of love and sacrifice.
We don’t envy the politicians who must balance the needs of the future inhabitants of the city with the desires of current residents to preserve its unique heritage. And, of course, there are those who disagree amongst themselves on how to preserve heritage homes. It’s not an easy task. And all the staff reports and data don’t necessarily make it easier.
We do, however, think we can all learn a lot from Marguerite Robertson, who turned 110 this past week in our city. After more than a century of life experiences, Robertson said it’s changed how she views life: “I look at things differently,” she said. “I look at every side. When I was young, I used to think ‘I want it. I do this. I like to do that,’ but now I look at both sides.”
Wise words from someone who should know a thing or two about history and heritage.
