City asked to contribute to local history book
Whitehorse's rich history needs to be documented, says one local group.
Whitehorse's rich history needs to be documented, says one local group. And it's setting out to do just that.
The Whitehorse History Book committee wants to capture the stories of the city's inception and growth.
The group is looking for $30,000 from the city to make the publication come to life.
"Whitehorse has such a wonderful story to tell, and the writing team we have brought together will tell that story in an interesting, compelling read,” the group said in its recent proposal to city council.
Such a project is "long overdue,” according to the group.
It counts such Whitehorse residents as former Yukon senator Ione Christensen, aviation historian Bob Cameron, pioneer Gudrun Spalding, broadcasting executive Shirley Adamson and veteran Star photographer Vince Fedoroff among their members.
"We are rapidly losing our corporate memory as many pioneers pass on,” the group's proposal said.
The book would document the city's history from the Gold Rush of 1898 to the present, with the help of local writers Linda Johnson and Helene Dobrowolsky, among others.
"The capital city of the Yukon should have a comprehensive record of its growth,” the proposal said.
In addition to being an "informative memento of the city for visitors” and a great Christmas gift for Outside relatives, the finished book will be an excellent reference text for schools, the proposal states.
The group will look to the local business community to round out funding for the project, which they expect to cost $150,000.
However, they're waiting until they have council's approval to start talking to others about getting involved.
Council's support for the project was keen at last Tuesday evening's standing committee meeting.
"We've got a solid proposal here that has all the components,” Mayor Bev Buckway said at the meeting. "And it's about time somebody did it.”
Other councillors were equally enthusiastic. Coun. Doug Graham called the project a "wonderful idea,” and Coun. Betty Irwin said she is looking forward to it.
Council will vote this evening on whether to provide the $30,000, which would come from the city's Heritage Reserve Fund.
No work will begin on the project until all funding is in place, which the group hopes will happen by the end of September or October.
The Whitehorse History Book committee hopes to have the project complete by June 2013.
By GEMMA KARSTENS-SMITH
Comments (1)
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Red Emma on Aug 23, 2011 at 5:07 am
This is a laudable project. I only hope the book will not select happy stories only. It should also include the stories of the people who have lost their homes as areas of land were claimed or cleared. One example is the people whose homes were removed by the White Pass railway, in some cases without even letting people know first. KDFN has a publication online that includes a few of these stories, which are part of our city's history too. Google it.