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 Almost four years ago, I joined the HRPS Board. Joining was easy: I liked the organization, I loved the tours and I believe strongly in cities respecting their histories. Add to that my personal interest in community service and it looked like a good match with me and HRPS.
But, like many Board members, in the beginning I wasn't really sure I understood the organization's needs and what I might contribute. During this time, I listened to HRPS members and others in the community. From their remarks, I heard two questions, over and over:
- what does HRPS need to raise money for?
- what is HRPS doing to preserve anything?
These are good questions and over my span on the Board, I've wondered about them myself. Surprisingly I found that I didn't have easy answers to the questions. What has really helped is that I've heard the HRPS Board frequently ask similar questions. What I have witnessed, under my tenure as President, is that our organization is now ready to provide some answers.
HRPS is reaching a new level of "maturity" and moving in some new directions, ones that befit an organization after 13 years. We are building on a foundation in which we got our administrative "house" in order, provide excellent educational programs and produce a terrific research-oriented publication, Footprints.
As we consider the next step for our "middle years," The Board has been examining HRPS's mission (Preserving Truckee Meadows' past through Education, Advocacy and Leadership) to see how to turn that mission into action.
That's why I thought I would use my President's Report (for this message and the one following), to provide some insight into how we work and some of the ideas we're working on. Next message I will discuss the roles of Education and Advocacy, putting them off since most of our members are already familiar with some of our efforts in these areas.
What is so exciting to me at this juncture is that HRPS is increasingly taking a role in Preservation, rounding out the vision for our organization. Let me describe some of our actions and intentions.
HRPS and Historic Preservation
So, back to the basic questions: why DO we raise money and what exactly does HRPS do to preserve our heritage?
- Supporting Small Projects: sometimes HRPS works in small, quiet ways to help in preservation projects. Generally this involves a citizen coming to the Board asking for a donation to assist them in their work. We are very receptive to these projects and are glad that financial assistance makes it possible. A recent example is local Boy Scout Troop 107 Brent Bremer's appeal for help in the preservation of a gazebo at Rancho San Rafael Park. Our funding and his "sweat equity" has created a great partnership that is restoring the gazebo to its former loveliness.
- Supporting Major Projects: with the strength of our financial circumstances, we're now in a position to consider larger preservation projects and you will be hearing more about these in the future. One BIG project involves restoring and installing the 1920s clock that once stood in front of Ginsburg Jewelers and then became an icon for Park Lane Mall. This landmark is now sitting in storage and HRPS is playing a role to bring this out again to grace our streets. Major expenses will be involved with the preservation and a group is already forming to work on this. Let me know if you would like to play a role in this project!
- Creation of Conservation Districts: HRPS has played an important role in establishing the Powning Conservation District and is now working to support the creation of the Wells Ave. Conservation District. Both of these efforts involved some cost (the documentation for the process is daunting) and a lot of volunteer labor. HRPS continues to be involved with Powning by designing a "pillar" to recognize the importance of this Reno community; we hope to have it in place in early 2011.
- Neighborhood Preservation Fund: I am incredibly excited about the possibilities of this new Fund. Starting with the proceeds from the Home Tour, HRPS is creating a "mini-grant" process so that we can assist home owners and business people to make improvements on their historic properties. Our hope is that we make annual gifts to enhance our older neighborhoods and contribute to their beauty and pride. The Fund will allow HRPS to play a direct role in preserving buildings and to feel that our funding can really make a difference.
A small committee is working on establishing guidelines for the Fund and designing the review process for selection. Along with this, we will develop a plan for attracting additional gifts to the Fund, allowing us to play an even larger role in preserving buildings. We'll have more information in the future about how you can help our communities through donations to the Neighborhood Preservation Fund.
As confident as I am about the HRPS Board in steering our preservation efforts, I wish to acknowledge that we don't work in isolation. We have working relationships with the City of Reno's Historic Resources Commission, the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, editorial input from noted historian Mella Harmon and with other local nonprofits and professional organizations. I appreciate the support we receive as we delve deeper into preservation issues in the Truckee Meadows.
William Murtagh stated, "It has been said that, at its best, preservation engages the past in a conversation with the present over a mutual concern for the future." It should be a source of pride for all of us in HRPS that the dialog has entered an active phase. I look forward to telling you more in future messages,
— Sharon Honig-Bear |
