Victoria_Park_Re port Final.pdf - City of Charlottetown

VICTORIA PARK COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
Final Report • June 2013
Archeological Guidelines
Victoria Park is on a site that has a high potential for archeological assets. There has
been well documented evidence for archeological resources that date from the mideighteenth
century up to the twentieth century. Although there are no known First
Nations sites delineated within the park, there is potential that resources that pre-date
the establishment of Charlottetown could exist, including French, Acadian, Mi’kmaq, or
pre-contact First Nations assets.
Two specific areas within the park have been identified by the archeological scoping
work that was done as part of this comprehensive planning process. The Fort Edward
Battery, and the area surrounding Government House have high potential for existing
resources. Prior to any physical site work being planned for these areas the City (or
Province, in the case of Province House) should consult with a qualified archeologist. It
may also be worthwhile to undertake a more in-depth review of the archeology at Fort
Edward, if not already completed, to enhance the interpretive experience at this site.
Monuments, Memorials, and Public Art
As one of the Charlottetown’s most important park spaces, there is a natural inclination
by the community to want to use the park as an opportunity for commemoration.
There are already a number of memorials and dedications within the park, and City
regularly receive requests for further opportunities. Memorialization is an opportunity
to differ the costs for infrastructure or asset improvement or development in the public
realm. The challenge with this approach is that without an overarching policy, the park
can become a jumble of memorials without a cohesive vision, and the operational and
maintenance demands of these dedications can become taxing to the City.
The City of Charlottetown should adopt a policy for memorialization in Victoria Park,
looking at restricted applications to ensure appropriate installations. For any large
scale installations or the establishment of naming rights, a time lag of 25 years should
have elapsed between the event or person and the installation of the memorial. This
policy would specifically apply to memorial sites or naming rights, and not small scale
site furnishings or memorial trees. In such a case where an application for a memorial
or naming right dedication is made, the decision should be reviewed by the governing
body for Victoria Park. It is important that the rationale for any new memorial be
significant and closely related to the City of Charlottetown. In addition, there should
be a compelling reason why the memorial should be established within the park and
not elsewhere in the City. For such large scale installations, the donation or dedication
must also include a provision for the ongoing maintenance of the memorial, to ensure
that over the long-term it does not become overly cumbersome for the City. When
evaluating memorial applications, a qualified landscape designer should be consulted
to ensure that the proposed design does not detract from the character and aesthetic
quality of the site within the park.
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