Goal #10 Celebration Highlight, protect, and share the County’s historic, arts, and cultural resources. 10.1 Inventory public art, historic resources and structures to prioritize for reinvestment and preserve local history. With a rich historical and cultural legacy, Mecklenburg County has many wellpreserved heritage sites and public art pieces. Mecklenburg Park & Rec owns and maintains a total of 21 historic sites and 48 historic or cultural resources, all of which are either standalone sites or structures located within countyowned parks. In 2016, Mecklenburg Park & Rec partnered with the Historic Landmarks Commission to inventory and assess all of the county’s historic sites and landmarks. The resulting report included a range of recommendations related to storytelling. Some included building interpretive signage to point visitors toward adjacent landmarks or developing educational programs and staff to teach about the cultural and historical significance of different sites.
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MeckPlaybook 2021 Master Plan
The stories of these historical landmarks could be integrated into an interactive online or app based platform providing information for tourists and Mecklenburg Park & Rec personnel alike. Mecklenburg Park & Rec’s public art collection is integral to the culture of the county. In 2002, Mecklenburg County adopted a 1% for public art ordinance, which guarantees that the public art collection will continue to grow. It is paramount that an inventory exist to track the expansion of the program. However, there currently are no dedicated funds for public art maintenance. These objects need routine care if they are to be preserved for future generations. In order to fully understand the value of these important historic spaces and pieces of art, both a public art inventory and a historic resources and structures inventory should be conducted. These efforts would note the condition of artwork, structural integrity of buildings, sites, and the health of the overall cultural landscapes.
This will aid in understanding the full historical significance of the County’s assets. Part of this inventory should also include an evaluation of current and prospective programming and interpretation potential. Revenue generated through public art, heritage programs, and event rentals could assist in maintaining the integrity of artworks, historic sites, and corresponding programs.
10.1 Key Actions Create a public art inventory to identify and assess the condition of public art on County land. Partner with public art organizations and museums to develop a maintenance plan for public art. Build off of the CAPRA historic structures inventory with a comprehensive assessment of buildings and sites.
