When it comes to old and historical buildings Bermuda has been an eye-opening experience for the Island?s newly appointed Heritage Officer.

In his previous heritage post in Canada, Bill DeGrace was involved in protecting buildings dating back to the 1700s but since arriving on the Island at the start of December he has, to his delight, discovered houses and buildings going go back a lot further in time.

When he spoke to he still has much to explore but said: ?I?ve been impressed with the historical resources here ? the built heritage.

?There is a real richness and so much is uniquely Bermudian, there is a real sense of place. And I?ve found Bermudian people are conscious of doing the right thing. The custodians of old buildings I have visited show real care of that heritage.?

He admits it is going to take a few months to ?get a handle? on the Island?s heritage picture, but he has already made inroads by meeting numerous heritage stakeholders. Not surprisingly among his first ports of call has been St. George?s and its environs. The area was elevated to the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its natural and historical significance.

For Mr. DeGrace it is still early days but he is keen to find out how the various stakeholders, from the Bermuda National Trust to the St. George?s Foundation, Bermuda Maritime Museum and others are working together to preserve, enhance and promote the Island?s historical treasures.

He sees three distinct areas where he will be concentrating his initial efforts.

?One is providing a professional service to the stakeholders, such as at the UNESCO World Heritage Site. That was designated in 2000 and it is important to have a heritage officer. There needs to be a reporting relationship with UNESCO,? said Mr. DeGrace.

He has been impressed by the ?incredible body of work? that has already been done in this regard by groups in St. George?s, including the Corporation of St. George?s and the St. George?s Foundation.

He added: ?I see myself as a facilitator for the kind of decisions that need to be made by the people of St. George?s. I can, for instance, give advice on designs for streetscapes.?

The town is already working towards a bold new vision, currently in a draft plan format, that might bring more pedestrianised areas and on-street cafes and restaurants, waterfront hotel and central visitor attraction at Ordnance Island.

One of the things Mr. DeGrace will seek to do is find out how other UNESCO sites and directly comparable historical areas are managing and promoting their heritage, and see if successful ideas can be copied by Bermuda while pitfalls and mistakes encountered elsewhere are avoided.

A native of Ottawa, Mr. DeGrace graduated from England?s Manchester University in the late 1970s and started his professional career as a planner looking at land use in Ottawa.

He then went to St. John?s, Newfoundland to work with the business community on revitalising the downtown area.

Immediately before he came to Bermuda Mr. DeGrace was in New Brunswick, where he was manager of historical and cultural affairs.

He views his second key area of work as providing assistance to the Island?s Historical Buildings Advisory Committee, which deals with legislation and the broader picture of how Bermuda develops and its stewardship of its historical fabric.

This doesn?t mean he will be giving direct advice on whether alternations should be allowed to historical buildings, or indeed whether old properties should be preserved or bulldozed, but he will present a broader perspective to the committee to help them with their deliberations.

And thirdly there is the Islandwide picture of Bermuda?s ongoing development and how it can best do so while protecting its natural resources, recreational spaces and historical fabric.

Mr. DeGrace is looking forward to the challenges and finding out more about the Island?s history, its historical heritage, and the many individuals and groups already engaged in protecting it.

Of his initial impressions of the Island, he said: ?It?s been quite an adventure. I have found it to be quite beautiful. Every time I turn a corner I find another beautiful sight and the people I?ve met have been welcoming and helpful.?