Historic Shelby Foundation announces Preservation Trades Day and Program

Taking Care of Old Buildings May Mean Future Education, Economic and Job Opportunities for Cleveland County

A Historic Preservation Trades Day is being planned for May 15, 2010 at the Banker’s House (319 North Lafayette St., across from Laughlin’s Furniture) to provide the entire community an opportunity to view demonstrations of historic preservation trades, ask questions of the demonstrators, and discuss a Historic Trades Training Program. This Historic Preservation Trades Day will be the public kick-off for this exciting program.

Cleveland Community College and Historic Shelby Foundation are investigating the feasibility of establishing a Historic Preservation Trades Training Program at the college. Such a training program would produce certified trades specialists which would have increased employment/business opportunities and at the same time aid in the preservation of the region’s historic structures

Preservation trades are defined as those occupations and skills needed in the restoration and replication of historic details used in the preservation of residential and public building. Among the skills involved are roofing, framing carpentry, finish carpentry, historic materials, design basics, masonry, window glazing and repairs, painting, decorative finishes, furniture and cabinetry basics, period landscaping and the use of modern systems in historic structures

A very successful introductory meeting was held at the CCC on January 12, 2010. Several members of the building trades, architects, CCC staff, Preservation North Carolina Staff and Historic Shelby Foundation along with other interested individuals met to assess the level of local interest in developing such a training program at CCC for Western North Carolina. The consensus of the attendees was that such a program was indeed feasible and needed in this area. The only other similar program in the entire state is located at Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro and has proved very successful. It is possible that a certificate program could be initiated at CCC as early as the fall 2010 semester.

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