Fort Sackville Foundation: 2026 Heritage Month Talk
When: Wednesday 25th February 2026 from 6.30 – 7.45pm
Where: Bedford Public Library, 15 Dartmouth Rd, Bedford, NS B4A 3X6
Guiding Change While Protecting Bedford’s History
Bedford’s history is rich, layered, and deeply connected to its landscape. As today’s Bedford becomes tomorrow’s community, it is important to respect and understand its past. This talk explores HRM’s Heritage Conservation District program and why Bedford’s historic places, views, and neighbourhoods matter now, offering residents a chance to learn how we can thoughtfully guide change while caring for what makes Bedford special.
Our speaker, William Breckenridge, was born and raised in Halifax, and lives and works in historic Schmidtville. With deep family roots in Halifax, including grandparents who immigrated from Greece in the 1950s, he brings a strong appreciation for the city’s layered cultural history and the value of inclusive, community-based heritage stewardship. He holds a B.A. in Classics, History, and Geography from Saint Mary’s University and has worked since 2015 as an independent historical researcher and heritage tour operator, sharing Halifax’s history with visitors from around the world.
William has extensive experience in municipal heritage governance, having served on the HRM Heritage Advisory Committee (2015–2019) and as Vice-Chair of the Schmidtville Stakeholders Committee. He was Vice-Chair of the stakeholder committee that helped establish Schmidtville as HRM’s first mixed-use Heritage Conservation District, work recognized by two Letters of Commendation from Mayor Mike Savage. Through leadership and board roles with Friends of Schmidtville, the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia, the Halifax Military Heritage Preservation Society, Friends of the Halifax Common, and Friends of the Halifax Memorial Library and Cemetery, he has consistently advocated for the conservation, interpretation, and livability of Halifax’s historic places for present and future generations.
