How do I nominate something for commemoration?
- Complete a nomination form and mail or email it to the program administrator.
When can I send in my nomination?
- You can send in a nomination anytime.
Can I email my nomination?
- Yes.
How detailed does a nomination have to be?
- It is important to address each heading on the nomination form – particularly how your nomination meets the criteria for the category you’ve selected. As long as the criteria is met, the Board will review the nomination. Citations of research are encouraged but you don’t need to send a copy of every article listed. If the Board thinks that the nomination has promise, further research will be conducted.
When will I hear if my nomination was successful?
- The Board may not make a final recommendation about a nomination until a research paper has been completed and reviewed. The overall process from nomination to public announcement of a commemoration can take 12-18 months.
I’m just a regular person – not an organization or town. Can I nominate something?
- Yes, nominations from the general public are welcomed. However, it is a good idea to include support letters if your nomination impacts a municipality, organization, etc.
Can I nominate something that already has a plaque from the federal government?
- Yes, you can nominate something that already has a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque, but we encourage the nomination of aspects of Newfoundland and Labrador’s heritage and culture that have not yet been recognized.
Can I nominate someone who is still alive?
- Someone nominated under the “Exceptional People from the Past” category must be deceased for at least 10 years. However, living people can be nominated if they qualify under the “Tradition Bearers” category.
My community has what I think is a significant historical person/place/event/tradition/tradition bearer. Can I nominate them?
- Yes, but read the criteria carefully for each category. Generally a nominated subject is deemed to be provincially significant only if it can be proven to be singularly outstanding and/or exceptional, AND it has historic/cultural importance to the province as a whole AND it is an outstanding example of an enduring theme, pattern, or tradition in the province’s history and heritage. Claims to significance must be supported by references such as academic articles, oral histories, etc. Before making a nomination, it’s a good idea to contact the program administrator for guidance.
I want to nominate a district/cultural landscape as a “Unique Place.” Do I need to get consent forms from every property owner in the area?
- No, property owner consent forms are only required for nominations of individual structures or groups of buildings.
I want to nominate an architecturally distinct heritage building. Will it qualify as a place of provincial significance under this program?
- Probably not. Historic structures and districts that would normally be considered for designation by Heritage NL will not be considered under the Provincial Historic Commemorations Program. Check the criteria for “Unique Places” and the guidelines for Heritage NL Heritage Structure Designation and Registered Heritage Districts to see which program is the best fit.
I know about an archaeology site/building/district that is in bad shape. Will a commemoration under this program help to protect it?
- No, a commemoration will help raise awareness about a site but it will not protect it. For more information about protection see the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Historic Resources Act. Under this act, people are not allowed to damage provincial historic sites, significant paleontology (archaeology) sites, and registered provincial cultural resources.
Will I get a plaque if my nomination is successful?
- No, the program does not issue plaques. Each designation has a listing on this website.
Will my museum/building/archaeology site become a provincial historic site if my nomination is successful?
- No, it will become a “Unique Place” of provincial significance, but not a provincial historic site. No annual/operational/staffing funding accompanies a commemoration.
Still have questions? Contact Heritage NL.
Andrea O’Brien – andrea@heritagenl.ca or 709-739-1892 extension 4
Jerry Dick – jerry@heritagenl.ca or 709-739-1892 extension 1