by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (May 01/98) - Starting Saturday, local residents will be able to purchase a piece of their history.

The Fort Simpson Historical Society's heritage park project will be launched with a special gathering at the McPherson House this Saturday afternoon.

A project in the works since the early part of the decade, it will feature the establishment of a heritage park on the land above the papal site in Fort Simpson which overlooks the confluence of the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers.

Residents will be able to get involved by purchasing their own symbolic land titles through donations of $10 for every square foot purchased.

Those who donate $100 will receive a special bronze seal on their certificate, $500 or more will lead to a silver seal and anyone or organization chipping in $1,000 or more will receive a gold seal.

All donations will be tax deductible.

Historical society member Martina Norwegian said she is excited by the project.

"It's important that Fort Simpson have a heritage park because we're one of the oldest communities on the Mackenzie," she said.

"My slogan is 'be a part of history.'"

"I'm very excited to see something like this (go forward) that was always planned and talked about to be finally becoming a reality."

The park will be a focal point for: the collection and preservation of regionally significant artifacts, the research and documentation of Dene traditional knowledge, the education and youth, cultural activities, and serve as another place where visitors can be welcomed to the community.

Plans for this year include landscaping the site and restoring the old McPherson House.

Next year, the society hopes to relocate the old Roman Catholic rectory, the village's oldest building, to the site. Once completed, it will have space for a museum, archives and tea room.

Area residents are invited to join in the festivities Saturday starting at 2 p.m., Norwegian said. Along with tea and bannock, George McPherson's widow, Lucy, will be presented with the symbolic first land title certificate.