Cultural Mapping

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is in the process of developing an interactive cultural map that will showcase the Municipality's local cultural assets, such as community cultural organizations, cultural facilities & spaces, cultural events & festivals, cultural industries, heritage plaques & monuments, heritage sites, public art, and places of religious assembly.

In partnership with Millier Dickinson Blais, one of North America’s largest specialist development consultancies, the Municipality will be traveling to several rural communities to meet with residents and collect information about the various cultural assets throughout our region.
If you live in a rural community and are interested in being part of these conversations, please feel free to meet with us!

Monday, October 27       Janvier Municipal Office                          1 pm to 3 pm

              Nakewin Hall (Conklin)                                   4:30 to 7:30 pm

Tuesday, October 28      Fort McKay                                  1 pm to 3 pm

Wednesday, October 29     Fort Chipewyan Municipal Office                          11 am to 3 pm

Thursday, October 30    Anzac Recreation Centre                                7 pm to 9:30 pm

What are the Key Messages of Cultural Mapping?

The Importance of Cultural Resources 

• The Municipality recognizes the importance of cultural resources to enhancing quality of life for all residents, generating economic benefit, and facilitating the attraction and retention of newcomers and their families. 

The Wood Buffalo Cultural Mapping Project 

• Developing a Cultural Map is an essential tool to support planning and decision-making, to supporting effective cultural resource management, and to build understanding and raising the profile of cultural resources for residents and visitors.

What Do We Mean by Cultural Resources?

• The Cultural Mapping Project will embrace a broad definition of cultural resources that will include both tangible and intangible cultural resources. 
• Tangible cultural resources are understood to include not-for-profit arts and heritage organizations, cultural businesses or industries, cultural heritage, natural heritage, festivals and events, cultural facilities and spaces, places of religious assembly, and public art. Other categories of tangible resources will emerge in the course of the project. 
• Equally important to the Cultural Mapping Project will be mapping intangible cultural resources such as community stories, traditions and defining moments in community history. This work will actively involve the community itself in helping to map these resources.