Posted: August 22, 2007 13:09:51 PST
The City of Bellingham recently received a Preserve America Grant, a highly-competitive federal grant promoting community efforts to preserve and enjoy our cultural and natural heritage.
Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, designated Bellingham as a Preserve America community and awarded a $150,000 Preserve America grant to the City of Bellingham on July 12 in a ceremony on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
The grant will be used to help preserve historic character and promote heritage tourism in Bellingham by funding a survey of the historic homes in the Lettered Streets, York and South Hill neighborhoods. Funding will be used to hire a professional preservation consultant to conduct the survey, help train and coordinate student and neighborhood volunteers to take photographs, describe architectural elements, and complete historical research. Information and photos from the survey will be entered into the State's Historic Property Database, the City's Geographic Information System, and the Whatcom Museum/ Bellingham Public Library on-line database of historic images.
"To qualify for the grant we had to demonstrate the city's dedication to its historic resources, and show that we understand preservation's role in economic development and community revitalization," Katie Franks, Development Specialist for the Planning and Community Development Department, said.
Franks said Bellingham recently updated its historic preservation ordinance and became a Certified Local Government (CLG), offered public preservation training workshops and other outreach programs, and has proven its commitment to preservation through increased effort to involve neighborhoods in preservation planning.
The project will involve volunteers from the community, as well as staff from partners including the Bellingham Public Library, Western Washington University's Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, the Washington State Archives, and the State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
The Preserve America program awarded 43 grants for 2007 totaling nearly $2.6 million. Bellingham's grant award of $150,000 is the maximum granted to Preserve America recipients. The federal grant program provides funds on a matching basis to assist Preserve America Communities with marketing, planning and educational efforts associated with protection and utilization of community heritage assets.
For more information about the project contact Katie Franks, Planning & Community Development: 676-6880, or kfranks@cob.org . Additional information about Preserve America can be found at http://www.preserveamerica.gov/
View the City of Bellingham Preserve America application packet at www.cob.org/pcd/cd/historic/index.htm
###
Media Contact:
Katie Franks
Planning & Community Development
(360) 676-6880
kfranks@cob.org
