In a remarkable act of dedication, Stephen Taylor, a partner and chief technical officer at Shift Media Strategies, has taken significant steps to preserve a vital resource for Canadian heritage. His initiative comes in response to the news that Parks Canada planned to decommission the Canadian Register of Historic Places website, a national database containing roughly 13,500 listings of historic sites recognized by federal, provincial, territorial, and local governments.
Parks Canada’s Historic Places Website Under Threat
Recently, Taylor came across a CBC Nova Scotia article detailing the imminent closure of this important resource. Alarmed by the potential loss, he quickly mobilized to save the content that represents part of Canada’s cultural history. “It would be a tragedy to lose that resource,” Taylor expressed, highlighting the urgency behind his decision to act.
The Creation of Heritage Guide Canada
Using artificial intelligence tools, Taylor managed to download all the data from the Parks Canada site and create a new platform named Heritage Guide Canada. This new site launched within 24 hours of the original article’s publication and is designed with modern web standards in mind.
Features of Heritage Guide Canada
Heritage Guide Canada is not merely a replica of its predecessor; it boasts several enhancements:
- A cleaner, more modern layout.
- A user-friendly interface for easier navigation.
- A “near me” button that helps users find heritage sites nearby.
- Dedicated pages for towns and cities.
Notably, the ongoing costs of maintaining the website are minimal. Taylor hosts the platform on a low-power computer, a Raspberry Pi, which also supports some of his other projects. The bandwidth required to operate the website falls within the limits of his existing service plan.
A Commitment to Public Service
As the website is being run as a free public service, Taylor continues to seek ways to improve the user experience. He plans to incorporate additional features, including a smart search function that can understand queries beyond simple keywords.
Looking Ahead
Taylor recognizes the significance of preserving Canadian history during challenging times. Although he is content maintaining the site independently, he remains open to collaboration with government officials. “If the government changes course and decides to rescue the initiative, I’m happy to give them the website if they find it’s better than their own,” he stated.
In this digital age, efforts like Taylor’s highlight the importance of safeguarding our cultural heritage for future generations.
