Victoria_Park_Re port Final.pdf - City of Charlottetown

VICTORIA PARK COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
Final Report • June 2013
Site Interpretive Strategy
Like urban or site master planning, interpretive planning allows organizations and
communities to define future development that can be implemented over multiple
phases. At its heart, interpretive planning focuses on the content and messages
that need to be communicated about an area or region – in other words, the story.
Interpretive planning helps define both personal (e.g., programs, staffed activities) and
non-personal media (e.g., signage, sculptures, brochures, multimedia, etc.) before any
site or building construction work takes place, maximizing every available location and
opportunity to communicate a story or message. Finally, it provides a vision for how
content and media will work together to create meaningful, memorable experiences
for visitors—be they residents or tourists — based on measurable objectives (learning,
emotional and behavioural). The interpretive plan is supported by creative, technical and
physical design recommendations. It also involves costing and phasing recommendations
that help move the project forward in a sustainable and manageable way.
Undertaking an interpretive master plan for Victoria Park at this stage in the planning
process is vitally important, not only in a practical sense but in a more holistic sense.
Practically, an interpretive plan can help identify and define immediate uses and
opportunities for site improvements and future media (i.e. signage, sculptural, etc.)
installations, all of which have an impact on design and decision-making related to
the site. In many instances, interpretive planning can help guide site developments
and decisions related to materials, locations and movement on site. On a broader
level, the client and their stakeholders have an opportunity to define the future public
experience and use for the site (via interpretation) as part of the development process,
including how the cultural and natural stories on the site will be told and what visitors
to the site will actually be able to experience in the landscape –ensuring that Victoria
Park becomes a more valuable public space overall. Public programming and events
may be inspired and developed based on such a plan, related to historic sites, events or
cultural and natural storylines.
The archaeological and historic storyline of Victoria Park have tremendous potential
for interpretation related to a number of themes and storylines. A review of the
archeological report prepared by David MacIntyre & Associates – March 2013 identified
key locations where historic activity and archaeological resources are situated in the
park. Fort Edward and its surrounding landscape offers a range of possible stories and
visitor experiences that can be presented. Themes related to French/English conflict
and the struggle for domination in the region, military technology and defence systems
of the era, and archaeological research and evidence are wealthy resources to exploit
for interpretation as they offer an authentic story in an authentic setting.
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