Residents are looking to the past for some inspiration in shaping the future of Belfast.
About 80 residents from the Belfast school’s catchment area found themselves asking each other “what would Lord Selkirk do?” during a public meeting at Belfast Rec Centre Wednesday night.
Audrey Shillabeer, a director with the Belfast Historical Society, said the “Big Belfast” community model aims to solve challenges facing the rural community with a long-term, comprehensive plan while also serving as a legacy to Lord Selkirk’s vision and leadership.
Selkirk settled Belfast with the intention that it would become a model for future settlements. He later went on to create settlements in Ontario and Manitoba.
“He was an amazing man, a philanthropist and altruistic… he planned the community here in Belfast, and it was to be a model for further immigration,” said Shillabeer, who is the project co-ordinator for Big Belfast.
“It’s kind of the question ‘what would Selkirk do?’ I’m not saying that we follow his historical model. But I am saying we set out to tap into his vision and leadership to address the issues that are current.”
One of the biggest challenges the community has recently faced was the near-closure of Belfast Consolidated School last year. However, there have also been concerns over the ferry service and the ongoing challenge of residents moving out West.
“There are housing issues, there are all sorts of issues and challenges,” said Shillabeer.
The model, which uses Big Belfast as the overall brand, is created through a number of pillars, including housing, food, education, health and wellness, business, environment, arts and infrastructure, coming together under that umbrella.
Residents were split up during a portion of Wednesday’s meeting into different groups to discuss those pillars and how they can contribute to the community.
Shillabeer said the next step is for residents to organize themselves into action committees based on those pillars, with the Belfast Historical Society remaining the lead organization and overseeing the entire Big Belfast umbrella.
Ian MacPherson, president of the Belfast Historical Society said while many fought passionately to keep the school open last year, they don’t want to see it threatened again “five years from now.”
“We need to get more people in the community. It’s going to take hard work, there’s no silver bullet,” said MacPherson. “We want seniors to stay in the community, we want to attract people who are new to P.E.I. in the community. That’s why this has so many moving parts. No one group or organization can drive the bus.”
Shillabeer noted while the project is named Big Belfast, it is a model format that could be shared with other rural communities.
“They can take this and find their authentic history and their pillars that are important to their community,” she said. “We want to share and we also never want to forget Lord Selkirk’s vision and leadership.”
More information can be found on the Belfast Historical Society’s Facebook page or by emailing [email protected].
