A Historic Preservation Example
Athena Agreements’ Deborah Osborne volunteered and served for several terms on two cultural commissions in the City of Alexandria, Virginia. The Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission (AHRPC) is responsible for historic and open space easements on historic and private properties. The Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC) is responsible for the protection of historical and archeological resources and telling the dynamic story of the City’s past that enriches our lives and gives us a clearer compass reading for our future direction.
Making friends and learning from the collective wisdom of the AHRPC and HARC, the Office of Historic Alexandria, Planning and Zoning, and the public at monthly meetings at the historic Lloyd House in Alexandria was personally gratifying. The commissions carefully address topics about Alexandria’s historical fabric, from preservation, protection, land use modernization, and adaptive reuse, based on the City and its citizen’s needs, to adding to Virginia’s list of historic easements upon property owner consent.
Sharing viewpoints and building consensus full circle with our members and the public was a pleasure to experience outside the ongoing work at Athena Agreements to bring people to mutually satisfactory resolutions to seemingly conflicting concerns. The AHRPC and HARC continue to make strides to increase, preserve, protect, and expand our vibrant and multicultural heritage. Historic preservation in many forms ensures we will tell a more complete and accurate story of our human past to inform and inspire us and generations to come.
Volunteering makes a difference. It’s welcomed and appreciated by state and local government and communities. Glad to have served! You can give and get back more.
