The Kentucky Heritage Council is seeking feedback from the public as it develops a preservation plan that will outline the visions, goals, and priorities for protecting the commonwealth’s historical and cultural resources over the next decade.
As the primary state historic preservation office, KHC is required under federal law to create and update statewide historic preservation plans every few years. Its current plan runs through the end of next year.
Nicole Roth is KHC’s site identification program administrator and preservation planning coordinator. She said the agency hopes to strengthen preservation efforts across the state and within the workforce.
“We really hope this plan really strengthens preservation efforts across Kentucky by expanding resources,” Roth said. “And when I say resources, I am talking about education, information, any type of technical assistance, funding, ideally and being able to provide that to communities all across Kentucky.”
Throughout November, KHC will be holding workshops across Kentucky for residents to share their experiences with historical preservation as well as any ideas for ways to preserve locations and places worthy of these efforts. There will be five regional workshops — Lexington on Nov. 7, Louisville on Nov. 14, Pikeville on Nov. 17, Paducah on Nov. 19 and Erlanger on Nov. 21. Roth said these workshops are designed to give the public a chance to give input on how KHC can achieve its main goals over the next few years.
There is also a public survey on the KHC website that is open until the end of the year where people who can’t attend KHC’s workshops can weigh in on what Kentucky’s historic preservation efforts should look like in the upcoming decade.
As of now, Roth said the main goals of the plan are to make preservation accessible and sustainable in local communities, along with developing the preservation workforce further to make sure there are people who know how to repair and care for historical buildings or locations in the generations to come.
