What's your heritage? Torbay investigates

By PRSD, on Thursday, August 26, 2010

Heritage isn’t something that’s confined to the dusty shelves at the back of some museum you have to pay to get into, just have a look at our Torquay’s Other History columns. It’s about people, places, stories and events. Coincidentally, Torbay’s Development Agency is in the midst of sorting out Torbay’s Heritage Strategy. But what does all that mean to the good citizens of The Bay?

Well to most people who responded to the strategy consultation it means buildings, maritime or naval history, museum collections and famous inhabitants. Followed by geology, parks and gardens, nature and language or dialect.

The consultation itself is just one aspect of the ongoing strategy development, which ‘aims to find the best way of maintaining and developing Torbay’s heritage in a way that encourages economic, social and environmental regeneration’.

The project also aims to restore and enhance important symbols of our local identity. and it is currently undertaking a mapping exercise with the community partnerships, who are gathering information on heritage assets within each ward. This will be used to update the council’s database, and also provide information, historical records and pictures which can be used in the strategy and action plan on how to manage the heritage of Torbay.

And why celebrate your heritage? We reckon it gives you a warm glow, a sense of pride and offers confidence to the community as well as promoting tourism and eduction.

The latest community partnership exercise ends on Wednesday, September 8: check out the Torbay Heritage Strategy site for details.

If you’ve got anything to say about Torbay’s heritage, or if you have old photographs or stories that you’d like to share (and possibly be used in the final strategy), email info@peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk, or comment below.