Town advisory board building support for historic preservation law

The Historic Preservation Advisory Board hopes to have an ordinance passed in the next few months that would establish regulations for the preservation of buildings that have historical significance.

Advisory board member June Crawford is speaking with community groups to spread the word. On Dec. 19, she spoke with four of Grand Island High School teacher Robert Simpson's government classes, outlining the basics of the ordinance and giving a PowerPoint presentation of properties that have been lost and those still here.

Crawford said "historical properties can be a catalyst for new business by becoming a stopping point for tourists."

An ordinance can help owners with funding and tax breaks. At this time, the only Grand Island property that is on the National Register of Historic Places is the Spaulding boathouse on West River.

The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

Crawford spoke with seventh-grade social studies classes at Connor Middle School Dec. 22 and will speak with the Golden Age Center members at their birthday lunch in January.