Victoria_Park_Re port Final.pdf - City of Charlottetown

Final Report • June 2013
VICTORIA PARK COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
As part of the above, there also exists an opportunity to interpret the social evolution
of the city, including the role of its public parks, military, recreational and social spaces
over time. This theme can include the many land-use changes made over time including
temporary buildings (e.g. veteran’s hospital) and man-made features (e.g. ponds) that
may/may not be seen today. These may become small marked sites as part of an
interpretive walk or tour, for example.
In addition to known historic sites and archaeological resources, heritage interpretation
may also take advantage of storylines and historic events that have not left any traces
in the landscape (or have not been discovered yet). Themes related to pre-contact
Aboriginal and Mi’kmaq presence and use, related to river systems and resources should
be explored, taking advantage of the natural landscape and water’s edge as context for
the story. Live programs and events related to these themes have tremendous potential.
Additionally, stories related to early French/Acadian settlement and the deportations
of the mid-to-late 1700s can be explored, as part of the French-English struggle for
dominance in the region. These may not be connected to the fort, but can be referenced,
possibly as views out to Port la Joye (Fort Amherst) in the distance.
Government House and the surrounding property (and its farm) are also important in
the history of the park, but also in the evolution of the city and the province. Themes
related to the establishment and growth of the capital, Charlottetown and the Province
are intimately tied to the development of the park and what it represented, as part of a
growing city. While some of these resources and locations are not accessible to visitors,
per se, they should be considered as part of any future interpretive plan so that these
themes can be presented in the same context as interpretation within the public
park landscape. This may be achieved with media situated on or off the Government
House grounds, through tours and programs, or mobile media. Regardless, any future
interpretation should be integrated with whatever is proposed in Victoria Park proper,
so that these two distinct areas are seen as being part of the same storyline and public
experience.
The weaving together of natural and cultural stories for interpretation is becoming
a more common approach for interpretation today, and should be considered when
evaluating available themes and stories for the park (and the surrounding shoreline).
Natural history themes and subject matter may be interpreted if deemed appropriate
within the park alongside of cultural history. This may include geological, ecological
and biological topics situated in the landscape, where the resources are evident or
appropriate to mention.
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