12 deserving Calgarians receive recognition at the 2017 Calgary Awards

Citizen of the Year recipient J. Murray McCann with Mayor Nenshi

On June 13, 2018 we hosted the 23rd annual Calgary Awards to recognize deserving individuals, corporations, community groups and organizations. The recipients of the awards highlight the excellence of our community and recognize the significant contributions made by our citizens.

The list of 2017 Calgary Awards recipients include:

The Community Achievement Awards

• Citizen of the Year – J. Murray McCann
• Grant MacEwan Lifetime Achievement – Mary Rozsa de Coquet
• Arts – Edmond Agopian
• Commerce – Ian MacGregor
• Community Advocate – Gail E. Simper
• Community Advocate Organization – Distress Centre Calgary
• Community Advocate Organization Honourable Mention – Children’s Hospital Aid Society
• Education – Cynthia Joy Prasow
• Heritage – Hugh A. Dempsey
• Youth – Yuvraj Singh

Grant MacEwan Lifetime Achievement recipient Mary Rozsa de Coquet

The Signature Award

• Brian Felesky

Signature Award recipient Brian Felesky with Mayor Nenshi and Councillor Davidson

The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize

• Taylor Lambert – “Darwin’s Moving”

The Award for Accessibility

• YYC Calgary International Airport – YYC LINK Passenger Shuttle

Congratulations to the recipients and thank you for helping Calgary to be a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life.

Watch the full awards ceremony and find out more about the awards at calgary.ca/calgaryawards

Thanks to sponsors of the Calgary Awards: Oil City Press Ltd., University of Calgary and Husky Energy. #yycawards

Now accepting applications for the 2018 Calgary Heritage Authority Lion Awards

With support from The City of Calgary, the Calgary Heritage Authority (CHA) has been hosting the biannual Lion Awards since 2006. The Lion Awards recognize individuals and organizations who have undertaken initiatives, of any scale, in support of heritage conservation in Calgary.

In 2016, winners included the Alberta Champions Society, Historic Calgary Week, Andrew Guilbert, the Cliff-Bungalow – Mission History Book, Equinox Vigil in Calgary’s Historic Union Cemetery, the 1875 Fort Calgary Interpretive Exhibit, Hunt House, Simmons Building, and the Somerville Duplex. Lorne Simpson was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on over 300 historic site projects in Calgary and southern Alberta.

Recognizing Calgary’s heritage and history is not just about preserving the past. Maintaining a link to our past, and understanding those links, ensures we have complete communities in the future. The stories we tell reflect our values -- who we are and who we aspire to be.

“Heritage is a stewardship,” said Andrew Guilbert, a writer and journalist who was honoured with an Advocacy and Awareness Award for his work with Avenue Calgary, which has raised awareness of Calgary’s local heritage.

“It's something we get to enjoy because our predecessors knew its value, and it’s our responsibility to understand and share why that inheritance must be passed on after we're gone. To be recognized as one of the many people who understand that responsibility was a great honour, and gave me a sense of connection to something larger than myself.”

Heritage in Calgary is represented from the downtown core and beyond to surrounding communities, and the size and scale of eligible projects varies. Communities, groups, organizations, and individuals are eligible to apply.

This year, the CHA will be recognizing one winner from each category. There are five award categories:

• Resource Conservation
• Community Vitalization
• Landscape
• Advocacy and Awareness
• Heritage Trades and Crafts

Do you know of a project, person or group that is deserving of recognition? Please review the full application instructions and submit by May 3, 2018 at 4 p.m. To apply, please visit: www.calgaryheritageauthority.com/about/lion_awards.htm
 
The 2018 CHA Lion Awards will be held on Thursday, August 2, 2018 at the Palace Theatre. Get your tickets now!

13 deserving Calgarians receive recognition at the 2016 Calgary Awards

On June 28, The City of Calgary presented 13 awards to recipients at the 2016 Calgary Awards. Mayor Nenshi and members of City Council were in attendance to recognize the many deserving recipients at the ceremony.

The Calgary Awards showcase The City’s priorities of community, the environment, accessibility, and arts and culture.

Highlights from this year’s awards include the Community Advocate Award presented to Cheri Macaulay, and The Citizen of Year award to Dr. Lucy Miller for her outstanding contributions to the community. The Signature Award, recognizing an individual who has brought significant recognition to the city, was awarded to Robert Brawn.

Citizen of the Year Award : Mayor Nenshi, Dr. Lucy Miller

Each year, individuals, corporations, community groups and organizations are nominated in five major award categories. It is one of the largest citizen recognition programs in the city.

“It was such an honour to present this year’s Calgary Awards to some of the very best people and organizations in this great city. The leadership and commitment to community shown by the recipients is an inspiration for me and many, many people,” said Mayor Nenshi following the ceremony. “They make Calgary better every day, and I'm proud to call them fellow citizens.”

Grant MacEwan Lifetime Achievement Award:
Mayor Nenshi, Dr. Babins- Wagner and Grant MacEwan’s
granddaughters Lynwyn Foran-Aebli and Fiona Foran

The City thanks the following sponsors for their continued support of The Calgary Awards: Oil City Press, The University of Calgary, Husky Energy and Shaw TV.

All Calgarians are encouraged to look to their neighbours, colleagues, community leaders and local organizations and businesses for those who could qualify as recipients of the Calgary Awards.

Nominations for the 2017 Calgary Awards will launch in January 2018. Visit calgary.ca/calgaryawards for more information.

Award-winners recognized for their commitment to education, community and Aboriginal culture

Elaine Cairns and Latasha Calf Robe love to share their passion for education, literacy and learning for their community.

Today, the Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee (CAUAC) and The City of Calgary recognized these two exceptional women with The Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award and Aboriginal Youth Achievement Award. Now in its 31st year, these awards honour those who build bridges of understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures.

2017 Winner of Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award

Elaine Cairns, 2017 recipient of the Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award

Elaine Cairns is a literacy specialist who has developed curricula and facilitator training for Indigenous learning programs. Elaine is currently the executive director of the Further Education Society of Alberta (FESA), which she co-founded in 1996.

Elaine has worked with isolated communities, and provided mentoring and facilitator training for Indigenous community workers and trainers. The curricula she has worked on embraces Aboriginal traditions and focuses on sharing of information. In the acknowledgement that community is different, she works with community members to incorporate the knowledge of Elders about how to share the traditions and culture. With these learning programs, families are then able to share, teach, and build relationships within and outside their communities.

“As a Non-Indigenous person, I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious award. It reaffirms for me the importance of the work I do in Indigenous communities”, says Elaine. “I have learned more from Indigenous people than they have ever learned from me. I have learned the importance of patience, to listen, be resilient, to persevere, and always have a connection to culture and traditions.”

Elaine’s efforts have opened the door to understanding the importance of working together to improve literacy in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultures. She believes improved learning leads to improved lives and with passion and dedication we can bring literacy and learning to everyone. Making a difference, one learner, one community, one organization at a time.

2016 Winner of CAUAC Youth Achievement Award

Latasha Calf Robe, 2017 recipient of the CAUAC Youth Achievement Award

Latasha Calf Robe, 24, is a graduate of Mount Royal University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business, and a minor in Indigenous Studies and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Latasha is a proud Blackfoot student from the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta and is being recognized for utilizing traditional community teachings. In founding the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) Resiliency and Empowerment Discussion Group in 2016, Latasha created a positive space for the Mount Royal community -- a place to celebrate Indigenous resiliency and empower her peers. Her academic work and leadership has helped bring the community together to bridge generational, cultural, and ethnic differences through dialogue and storytelling. She was a featured panelist at an Access to Education, hosted by Mount Royal University, to discuss barriers Aboriginal students encounter at post-secondary institutions and how to overcome them.

This year, she also presented the student address at Mount Royal University for the visit of the Honorable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Aside from her academic achievements, Latasha’s involvement with student life demonstrate her strong desire and deep commitment to education, culture and her community.

“Winning this award allows me to represent my community, the Blood Reserve, in a positive way. I hope to empower and encourage other young Indigenous scholars and youth to iiykakimaat (try hard), and to never stop chasing their dreams,” says Latasha. “There is no goal too big. By using the resiliency and traditional ways taught to us by our elders, parents and community, anything is possible.”

Another recognition for Calgary’s Airport Trail Tunnel

The Airport Trail Tunnel under the new runway at the Calgary International Airport received a national engineering award recently in recognition of the outstanding work by the many firms and individuals involved in this project.

On October 23, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies (ACEC) and Canadian Consulting Engineer (CCE) Magazine honoured the Airport Trail Tunnel, and the Calgary Airport Authority’s new runway, with an Award of Excellence in the Transportation category.

Specific recognition was given to consultant groups CH2M and Associated Engineering for their involvement and leadership in these two projects. This year’s awards committee evaluated a total of 64 project submissions from across Canada.

The Airport Trail tunnel is a critical piece of infrastructure that connects people, goods, and services locally, regionally, and globally, and serves as a vital east-west corridor for Calgary that benefits all Calgarians. The six-lane, 620 metre-long cast-in-place concrete structure is located beneath the new runway, designed to withstand aircraft landings, and boasts world-leading fire and ventilation systems.

Part of the Airport Trail Tunnel project team prior to opening

The completion of these projects is an outstanding example to the engineering excellence, innovation, and successful collaboration between the City of Calgary, Calgary Airport Authority, the consultant team, and contractors.

Duane Delaney, The City’s Manager of Major Roads Projects in Transportation Infrastructure, said this award is a direct reflection of the outstanding job done by the project managers and crews in working together to complete these complex projects and in meeting the many tight deadlines.

Some of the achievements noted by the judges included:

• Completion of tunnel sections at set times so that the runway and taxiways above could be built within their tight construction schedule
• An innovative formwork system mounted on rails was used to meet the fast-track schedule
• To suit the Calgary climate, a custom concrete mix was developed that could be placed quickly and not affected by the freeze-thaw cycle
• An advanced model was developed to manage 8.1 million cubic metres of earthworks and to maximize the use of on-site materials.

Calgary heroes recognized by Calgary Fire Department

It’s around four in the morning in late September on a residential drive in the southeast. The quiet of the hour is disrupted when a driver, doing about double the speed limit, hits the curb. The car he’s driving flips, smashes mid-air through a tree and lands upside down, wedged under the front balcony of a four-plex. The tree is down, the front door of one home destroyed and the driver, trapped under the crushed dash, is unconscious. The engine bursts into flames.

A tragic outcome for the driver and sleeping residents inside the four connected homes was avoided, all thanks to a police officer who happened to see the whole thing – changing a potentially deadly situation into one of heroic rescues and immense appreciation for his actions.

CFD annual recognition event

Calgary Police Constable Jason Schneider (middle) is recognized for life-saving 
actions by Fire Chief Steve Dongworth (right) and Colin Senkow (left), 
member of the Calgary Fire Department Honour Guard.

Today, the Calgary Fire Department recognized Cst. Jason Schneider for his life-saving actions during those early morning hours in September, with a Medal of Bravery and Commendation. This is the Calgary Fire Department’s highest honour, bestowed to citizens and emergency services personnel who save lives or risk personal injury to ensure others’ safety.

“I’m very honoured to receive this award,” Schneider said. “It’s highly prestigious.”

Schneider is one of 11 Calgarians to receive a Commendation today at Calgary Fire Department’s annual recognition event held during Fire Prevention Week.

Another 23 people received Recognition awards for their significant efforts during a fire-attended emergency, where people or property were in danger and their actions avoided injuries or damages; and 10 more received Appreciation awards for providing basic first aid or an act of kindness to a victim.

Looking back, Schneider says he didn’t see himself in danger as much as he did the potential victims. “That’s from all the training we get as first responders, so really, anyone would have done what I did.”

Modesty aside, what he did clearly deserves a medal.

Back at the crash site
Just beyond the threshold of one home, a woman stood frozen in disbelief and shock. Schneider yelled at her to get out of the house but the damaged door blocked her exit. He managed to free the door and quickly ordered the woman and her elderly father away from further risk.

Schneider then turned to the driver, still unconscious and trapped. He crawled inside the burning car, thinking, “If the car blows at least I’ll be inside and underneath it.”

Just as he freed the driver, four other police officers arrived on scene. Two of them grabbed fire extinguishers from the cruisers and started on the fire; the others banged on neighbours’ doors. One of the residents later said he thought his house was being broken into. He was right, sort of, but in a good way.

Firefighters and EMS arrived within a few minutes to complete the fire suppression and first aid duties. Now when Schneider thinks about it, he says, “Without a doubt what stands out most for me was how the five of us (police officers) worked together before fire and EMS arrived. I couldn’t have gotten all those people out of their homes, managed the fire and saved the driver, too. Together though, it was pretty impressive.”

Schneider’s police colleagues who helped that night also received Recognition awards today: Constables Greg Burnett, Marty Woodrow, Renee Moore and Dan Rogers.

Visit The City of Calgary newsroom for the full list of award recipients and their respective heroics.

City Flood Recovery Program Earns Award

The City of Calgary has won an award from the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) for facilitation work supporting our 2013 flood recovery efforts.

The IAF promotes, supports and advances the practice of professional facilitation. The City won Silver in the Association’s Facilitation Impact Awards (FIA), an initiative to recognize facilitation excellence in businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations. The City was selected from among 42 submissions from around the world and was the only Canadian municipality and one of three Canadian applicants to make the top 20.

The award program is designed to:

• Promote awareness of the role of facilitation in achieving positive and impactful results;
• Reward the use of facilitation within organizations, communities, and society in general; and
• Recognize excellence in facilitation practices.

Front to back: Kathy Sokolan-Oblak, Recovery Planner; Elaine Wong,
Project Management Consultant;  Erina Possak, Project Management Consultant;
Tom Gosse, Team Lead & Consultant
Missing is Christine Arthurs, Recovery Director

The first ever Recovery Operations Centre (ROC) in Calgary was set up within days of the June 2013 flood to help The City and citizens recover from the worst natural disaster in modern history.

With the help of City facilitators and project management experts, the Recovery Office and staff from across the Corporation played a major role in helping City staff plan, implement and advance flood recovery efforts.

“The City of Calgary has been very successful in flood recovery efforts and that can be directly linked to the numerous facilitated sessions that supported recovery efforts,” said Recovery Planner Kathy Sokolan-Oblak. “Successful facilitation enabled us to move recovery efforts along and has helped us develop and implement ongoing recovery plans and mitigation measures. By engaging citizens, partners and our staff, we not only advanced recovery, we are now better positioned to handle any future disaster, whether it’s a flood or some other type of shock or stressor.”

Facilitation helped the broader recovery team:

• Create a culture of one City team with a common goal and one voice;
• Break down silos and enhance relationships across the organization and with external partners; and
• Build corporate resilience by advancing the knowledge and skills staff developed as they advance recovery efforts for The City and the broader community.

“I’m proud to have been a part of the group of professionals who took on the multiple and varied facilitator roles throughout 18 + months of flood recovery,” said Erina Possak with The City of Calgary’s Corporate Project Management Centre. “To have our work recognized by the IAF just adds to the whole experience.”

Kimberly Bain, Global Chair of the IAF, said the winning entries demonstrate the value facilitation can add to a project or initiative. “I truly believe that facilitation excellence can be a powerful source of change in organizations and communities. This is concrete proof that group facilitation and group process methodologies yield significant results.”

This is the first year the IAF awards program has been selected at a worldwide level; previous years’ awards have been granted by regions. In 2014, The City’s Cultural Transformation Project won a Platinum Award and Calgary Transit won a Gold Award the Facilitation Impact Awards in the Americas Division.

Nominate a deserving individual, organization or business for a Calgary Award

Calgarians have until Friday, Feb 27, to recognize fellow citizens for their contributions in making Calgary a dynamic, progressive and compassionate city.

Calgary Award

Calgary Awards is a City of Calgary initiative that has been recognizing exceptional citizens since 1994.

 “Calgary’s greatness is due, in large part, to the commitment of citizens to build the better community they want,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “Our city is filled with tireless, dedicated, and brilliant citizens. Please take a moment to recognize an amazing person, or group of people, that you know is making Calgary even greater.”

With 17 awards in five major categories, The City proudly celebrates the difference Calgarians make.

Nominating an individual, corporation, community group, school or an organization is easy. Follow these steps:

• Step 1 – Review the award categories and determine which category is most appropriate for the person, organization or group you wish to nominate.
• Step 2 – Submit a letter of nomination, two to five pages in length, describing in detail why the nominee deserves the award. You may also submit supporting materials.
• Step 3 – Complete the nomination form.
• Step 4 – Mail, fax, email or hand-deliver your nomination package by Friday, Feb 27, 2015.

Additional information, award categories and nomination criteria can be found at calgary.ca/calgaryawards, by phoning 403-268-8881, or e-mailing calgaryawards@calgary.ca

Ongoing power outages in the downtown core

UPDATE: 2:00 A.M. - Oct. 13, 2014

The City of Calgary continues to work with ENMAX to assist citizens impacted by the underground utility fire that caused a power outage in the downtown core.

Due to the power outage, there may be loss of pressure to high floor units which may result in low pressure, or no water supply.

Please note, that even if your water pressure is low, your water is safe to be used.

For residents or businesses that are in need of water, “water wagons” have been deployed to the following locations:

·         1121 6 Avenue SW

·         1088 6 Avenue SW

·         912 6 Avenue SW

·         731 6 Avenue SW

·         618 5 Avenue SW

Map of "water wagon" locations in downtown Calgary.

These water wagons will be monitored and refilled as required for the duration of the power outage.

UPDATE: 8:00 P.M. - Oct. 12, 2014

Map of impacted area including road closures and Information Centre location.

The City of Calgary continues to work with ENMAX and other partner agencies to assist citizens impacted by an underground utility fire that caused a power outage in the downtown core. Please visit Calgary.ca for additional updates regarding this incident and support services available to impacted Calgarians.

Power:

• There are currently power outages between 5 Street SW and 11 Street SW and 4 Avenue SW and 7 Avenue SW. As a result, approximately 1,900 metered customers in 112 residential and commercial buildings are without power. The system will be shut down until power can be safely restored. If you currently have power, you are not at risk of losing service.
• At this time, ENMAX has indicated that power will likely be restored sometime between Wednesday evening and Saturday.

Info for residents impacted by power outages

• If you are without power and are planning on leaving your residence please do so during daylight hours.
• Please be sure to unplug all appliances to avoid a power surge when power is restored.
• If you are leaving your home clean out your fridge and freezer before leaving.
• Please remember the power outage has impacted ventilation systems. Do not run your car in underground parkades.
• Do not under any circumstances use alternative heating or cooking devices. This includes candles, propane lights, camping lights and stoves or barbeques. For alternative lighting, use battery-powered lights or flashlights.
• Never use a portable generator indoors.
• Shaw has provided an open Wi-Fi network throughout Calgary for those who are using devices to stay connected. Look for the "Shaw Guest" network on your Wi-Fi enabled device. No password is required.
• Impacted residents can also head to any Telus retail store to charge their devices.

Road Closures:

Most of the impacted area has been reopened to  traffic the only remaining road closures include:

• 5 Avenue S.W. between 7 Street S.W. and 9 Street S.W. 
• 8 Street S.W. between 4 Avenue S.W. and 6 Avenue S.W.

Transit:

• Calgary Transit service is now running normally. Check CalgaryTransit.com for the most up-to-date route information.

Water:

• Water quality remains high and Calgarians in the affected area can continue to use water if it is available.
• Due to the power outage, there may be loss of pressure to high floor units which may result in no water supply.  
• Residents may see in buildings that have lost pressure or are experiencing low pressure include no water from taps and toilets will not flush.  This is a normal occurrence when pressure is lost or low, and residents are asked to be patient as crews work to restore power and water pressure to the building. Residents are asked to advise their building manager should this occur.  The City is working with Building Owners and Managers Association to monitor and communicate with affected residents. Please note, even if your water pressure is low, your water is safe to be used.
• The City is preparing to provide emergency potable water wagons for affected residents and businesses as required.

Waste:

• Waste bins will be available at Mewata Armoury for food disposal. If you are without power and looking to get rid of items in your fridge, you can dispose of them at the Information Centre.

Where to stay & Information Centre:

• An Information Centre is set up at Mewata Armoury at 801 11 St. SW for residents to go and get information regarding the incident and support services. The Centre will be open for 24 hours.
• Please bring identification and a piece of mail or some document to show your home address is in the impacted area. Bring the name of your insurance provider and policy information if available, as well as the name of your building manager or organization if possible.
• Impacted residents will be able to convene, get information and charge electronic devices. There will be food trucks, hand washing stations, and an assessment can be done on any accommodation challenges. 
• The centre will also have Animal Services available to take your pets to The City’s Animal Shelter for temporary accommodation. Domestic animals such as cats, dogs, rabbits and birds in cages can all be accommodated. For exotic pets (must be in cages) such as snakes, spiders, etc., arrangements can be made by calling Calgary North Veterinary Hospital at 403-277-0135.
• If your power is out and you have friends or family that you can stay with, please reach out to secure accommodations for yourself while power is being restored. You can also contact your insurance company to see if accommodations are covered under your individual policy.
• Please note NO food donations are required at this time.

 

Cultural Transformation - focusing on outcomes for citizens

After two years, 200 sessions and 6,000+ engagements with City staff, Council and citizens, the Cultural Transformation Project has wrapped up.

Due to your generosity, we have documented a great deal of information to support our understanding that we are at our best when we are:

• Focused on outcomes for citizens, and
• Working together – with team members, across silos and with citizens.

Both of these cultural strengths were embedded into City Manager Jeff Fielding’s recent presentation to Council, titled Together, We are Calgary.



“It has been an absolute privilege to learn from our colleagues about who we aspire to be and, to also be honest about what stops us from working together or focusing on outcomes," says Beth Gignac, project lead. "Now that we have that knowledge, it’s time for each of us to be take our individual responsibility seriously and implement what we know into our systems and day-to-day work."

Accountability for coaching the implementation of our culture throughout our organization will soon transfer to Human Resources and examples of collaborative initiatives taking place with our front line operations staff in Parks, Roads, Waste & Recycling, and Water are being celebrated and shared.

“There is still a lot of work to be done and everyone who has contributed their ideas to the project has provided the blueprint for the way we will work together moving forward,” Gignac adds. “If anyone is interested in learning more or joining one of the communities of practice we've helped put in place I hope they won’t hesitate to contact me directly."

The Cultural Transformation Project was the largest staff engagement in The City’s history. On behalf of our organization and each participant, the team was honoured to receive the Platinum Facilitation Impact Award from the International Association of Facilitators, as well as Organization of the Year from the International Association of Public Participation.

Pride of Lion’s winners showcase Calgary’s heritage

The Calgary Heritage Authority recognized 16 award recipients last week at the 2014 Lion Awards gala for efforts to preserve Calgary’s heritage.

“There was a tremendous response to this year’s Lion Awards from Calgarians who are helping build and preserve our community heritage” said Scott Jolliffe, Chair of the Calgary Heritage Authority. “I commend these award winners, and all applicants, for their extraordinary efforts which benefit Calgarians both today and in the future.”

The awards were presented at the historic Theatre Junction Grand, winner of a 2006 Lion Award, with over 300 members of the community in attendance, including Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

The gala event featured a special Flood Recovery Award to recognize outstanding efforts in rescuing historic resources from the effects of flood damage. Two winners were selected for the flood recovery award: The Baird/Miller residence in Elbow Park and the National Music Centre.

Despite the monumental task homeowner Cory Miller sought to preserve the 102 year old sandstone house. A focal point of the recovery effort was the repair of the original iron boiler and using unconventional methods to dry the delicate sandstone foundation of the property immediately following the flood.

The National Music Centre’s Custom House collection risked being lost in the flood. However, more than 75 volunteers spent over 2,000 hours evacuating 143 pianos, thousands of electronic parts, radios, schematics, in record time to a safe location where damaged collection items are now under restoration.

Award recipients were selected by a jury made up of five distinguished members of the community.

The Calgary Heritage Authority Lion Awards are held every two years to acknowledge heritage conservation and public awareness efforts taking place across the city and to showcase sites that defined Calgary’s past and contributed to the essence of our city.

See videos of this year's Lion Award winners in the playlist below.



Complete List of 2014 Lion Award Recipients
Resource Conservation
• Findlay Apartment Building Renovation
• National Hotel and East End Livery Barn Restoration
• Nellie McClung House Adaptive Re-use
• Old YWCA Front Porch Restoration
• T-Mac Group “Bank and Baron”

Resource Conservation – Flood Recovery
• Baird/Miller Residence
• National Music Centre

Landscape
• Poppy Plaza Landscape of Memory
• Oliver Quarry Park

Community Vitalization
• Century Homes Calgary
• cSpace King Edward Arts Hub and Incubator

Heritage Tradespeople/Craftspeople
• Rick Janzen
• Russ Heikkinen

Advocacy and Awareness
• Cynthia Klaassen
• Heritage Roundtable
• Let’s talk about... Building ICONOMY

New Design - Honourable mention only*

Honourable mentions:
• Western Canada High School Modernization
• Biscuit Block*
• Equinox Vigil in Union Cemetery
• Heritage Walking Tour of Hextall Homes in Bowness
• Alberta Champions Society in Recognition of Community Enrichment
• Rouleauville: Calgary's French Connection
• Whispering Signs: Ecological Encounters in an Urban Prairie
• History In the Making Volunteer Tradespeople

For more information on The Lion Awards, please visit www.calgary.ca/lionawards

Recognizing 17 Calgary Awards recipients

Last week, The City of Calgary presented 17 awards to recipients at the 2013 Calgary Awards. Mayor Nenshi and members of City Council were in attendance to help celebrate the accomplishments of recipients at the ceremony.

The 17 awards showcase The City’s priorities of community, environment, accessibility, arts and culture. “These categories directly impact the quality of life of Calgarians. Efforts in these areas should be celebrated,” said Catherine Humeny, coordinator of citizen recognitions & protocol.

Highlights from the awards presentation include the Community Advocate award presented to Dr. Sandra M. Reilly; the Signature Award recognizing Janice Eisenhauer, co-founder of Canadian Women for Women (CW4W); The Citizen of the Year award to Mike Shaikh for his outstanding contributions to the community; and several award recipients from the University of Calgary.

Youth Award recipient Stephen Cho said, “It is an honour to be awarded tonight, and it is humbling to be among such accomplished Calgarians.”

The Calgary Awards is The City’s official citizen recognition program established in 1994, celebrating Calgarians and local organizations for their outstanding achievements and significant contributions for improving the quality of life in Calgary. Each year, individuals, corporations, community groups, schools and organizations are nominated in five major award categories. It is one of the largest citizen recognition programs in the city.

Mayor Nenshi said of the Awards, “We celebrated the best of who we are as Calgarians. The work our recipients do to make Calgary a better place makes us proud to live and work in this great city.”

The City of Calgary encourages all Calgarians to look to their neighbours, colleagues, community leaders, local organizations and businesses for those who could qualify as recipients of the Calgary Awards. Nomination applications for the 2014 Calgary Awards open in the fall. For more information please visit Calgary.ca/calgaryawards.

2014 Lion Awards to highlight flood impacted properties

Built in 1912, The Baird/Miller residence was officially designated as a municipal historic resource by The City in September 2013. This property, like many others, was impacted by the 2013 floods but has undergone flood recovery work to ensure it will be part of Calgary’s landscape for generations to come.



The Calgary Heritage Authority Lion Awards are presented biennially to celebrate the projects and people who have contributed to preserving Calgary’s heritage. In recognition of the extraordinary recovery efforts undertaken at heritage sites after the 2013 floods, the Calgary Heritage Authority will be presenting a special flood recovery award at the 2014 Lion Awards. There are six Lion Award categories: Resource Conservation, New Building Design, Landscape, Community Vitalization, Advocacy and Awareness, and Heritage Tradespeople/Craftspeople.

Nominations and applications are being accepted until June 2.

For more information, visit Calgary.ca/lionawards

The Lions are coming

Every two years the Calgary Heritage Authority honours the people and projects that preserve our city’s heritage at the Lion Awards. From conserving historic buildings and places, to celebrating community resilience, the awards showcase many chapters of Calgary’s continuing story.

“One of the unique things this year is we have an award category oriented towards flood recovery,” said Terry MacKenzie, Calgary Heritage Authority board member and Chair of the Public Awareness Committee. “In particular we are looking at tradespersons and individuals who have done things to protect and save our historic resources that may have been affected by last summer’s flooding.”



This year’s categories are:
• Resource Conservation (including flood recovery)
• New Building Design
• Landscape
• Community Vitalization
• Advocacy and Awareness
• Heritage Tradespeople/Craftspeople

Do you know a person or a project that should be considered for a Lion Award? Projects completed since 2008 may be eligible in one or more of six categories. Apply or make an award nomination by June 2.

Keep watching for more information about award nominees, and the 2014 Lion Awards Gala to take place at the historic Theatre Junction Grand on July 31, 2014.

City Employees Recognized by Province for 2013 Flood Efforts

The Province of Alberta’s “Heroes of the Flood” program gave Albertans the chance to recognize people who went above and beyond to help their friends, family and neighbours recover from the June 2013 floods.  More than 1,300 Albertans were nominated – including a number of City of Calgary employees.

Elbow Park during flood recovery

“I’ve always been incredibly proud of my colleagues at The City of Calgary, but I’ve never been more proud of them than I have been over the past eight months,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “The flood taught us how lucky we are to live in a place where government works so well. From bus drivers to road builders to first responders to garbage collectors, all of my colleagues demonstrated great dedication, compassion, and expertise during the floods and beyond as we rebuild and strengthen Calgary. Our city is filled with great public servants, so I am not surprised that some of my colleagues were nominated for this honour.”

Three of those employees are front-line staff from Waste & Recycling Services: Chris Kostyniuk, Jason Davis and Jolen DiGirolamo. They moved thousands of kilograms of flood waste off our streets- helping to keep Calgarians healthy and our streets clean and safe.

 Jason Davis Waste & Recycling Services

Wayne Burndred, Superintendent in Waste & Recycling Services, explained “Jason Davis worked hard to help accommodate the residents and look after his staff.” Jason remembers “[working with] Roads, Fire, Police – everybody was getting dirty together.  We had police officers and firemen helping load trucks and shutting down roads so we could load debris and keep volunteers and people safe. We knew what we needed to do; everybody stepped up and got it done.”

Jolen Digirolamo, Waste & Recycling Services

Jolen Digirolamo collected flood waste, working 16-hour shifts for six straight days. “The public was awesome,” he recalls. “When I pulled up in Stanley Park they were congratulating me. They hadn’t seen a garbage truck in days. I had a swarm of people rush the truck because they were so happy.” Jolen takes away positive memories, saying “it felt great seeing how a city helps each other in a disaster. It was awesome to see Calgary come together.”

The flood directly impacted Chris Kostyniuk, as some of his family was heavily hit; but his job as a City employee was front and centre.  “It was not only a privilege but a duty to help out the people of this city we serve,” he says.  “If it ever happens again (**Knocks on wood**) I will be there to help.  This is our city. This is my privilege.”

Going forward, each of the 1300+ nominees will receive a letter and certificate from the Government of Alberta; the Province will pick the top 100 and the top 100 heroes of the flood will be announced in the summer.

For more info, check out a complete list of the nominees and a PDF poster of all the nominees.

Calgary Awards: Call for Nominations

Do you know an individual, group, or organization who has made a significant contribution to Calgary? Calgarians are invited to recognize fellow citizens for their contributions in making Calgary a dynamic, progressive and compassionate city.

Visits calgary.ca/calgaryawards for more information.

Four historic bridges recognized with Calgary Heritage Authority plaques

Every two years the Calgary Heritage Authority community heritage plaque program places information plaques on sites of historical significance.

“The plaque program provides an opportunity to recognize important heritage sites throughout our city,” says Scott Jolliffe, Calgary Heritage Authority Chair. “Last year’s loss of the iconic  Elbow River suspension bridges makes today’s recognition of four historic Calgary bridges all the more relevant. These plaques will help build awareness about the value and importance of these bridges, which have connected generations of Calgarians.”

The Calgary Heritage Authority recently completed a historical survey of Calgary’s bridges, and has added a number of significant bridges to the City’s inventory of historic resources.  The heritage inventory can be viewed at www.calgary.ca/heritage.

The four sites that received plaques are:

The Langevin Bridge

Location:  4 Street SE at the Bow River; between East Village and Bridgeland-Riverside

Built in 1910, the Langevin Bridge replaced an earlier bridge and ferry crossing, and is at the location of an ancient river crossing on the “Old North Trail,” an important Aboriginal transportation corridor. The bridge enabled the extension of the new streetcar system across the Bow River. This is one of four Calgary bridges known as “Parker Camelback” bridges, because the framework of structural steel that looks like a camel’s back in profile. It’s also recognizable today for its LED installation, as part of the effort to revitalize the East Village.

The Hextall Bridge, also known as the old Shouldice Bridge

Location:  Bow Crescent NW; between Bowness and Montgomery

This bridge was constructed in 1910 by businessman John Hextall, who sought to transform the area of Bowness into an idyllic garden suburb. Soon afterwards the City took over the bridge and put in a streetcar line. Generations of Calgarians came to know the bridge as the way to get to Bowness Park.  In 1986 a new bridge was built and the old bridge found a new life as part of the regional pathway system.

12 Avenue Elbow River Bridge, also known as the MacDonald Bridge

Location: 12 Avenue SE at the Elbow River; between Victoria Park/Beltline and Ramsay

This bridge across the Elbow River was completed in 1911 and helped enable the development of East Calgary. Workers at the CPR Canadian Pacific Railway Ogden Shops, the Burns meatpacking plant and other major east side workplaces relied on this bridge and the street railway system, as did the residents of new residential communities in Ogden and Ramsay.

All three of the steel truss bridges being honoured were built to facilitate the rapid growth of Calgary and the street car system in the boom years prior to the First World War. The steel structures were manufactured in Eastern Canada, shipped west by rail and assembled on site with rivets, a technique that is clearly visible on the structures today.

The Mewata Bridge

Location: 14 Street at the Bow River; between Hillhurst and Sunalta

Built in 1954, the Mewata Bridge was the first major river crossing built in Calgary since the Louise Bridge in 1922.  It helped to facilitate post-war suburban growth in northwest Calgary and the establishment of a system of one-way streets in downtown. A national newspaper hailed the bridge as a “milestone in the city’s vast post-war development.” The Mewata Bridge is of mid-century modern design, and was partly inspired by the recently completed Waterloo Bridge in London, England.

The Mewata Bridge is of mid-20th century modern design. It was built using “box-girder” technology, which uses steel-reinforced concrete beams shaped like a tube with multiple walls. When it was built it was the longest box-girder span in North America, the first in Western Canada, and the first example in Canada to use the new technique of butt-welded reinforcing steel.

For more information about heritage planning and the Calgary Heritage Authority, visit www.calgary.ca/heritage.

City of Calgary receives two Awards for Municipal Excellence

The City of Calgary received two 2013 Minister’s Awards for Municipal Excellence today:

1. The Safe Communities Award goes to the Multi-Agency School Support Team, for their work on early intervention of at-risk youth.

2. An Innovation Award Honourable Mention goes to the 311 Mobile App for being the first of its kind in a municipal context in Alberta.

The Safe Communities Award emphasizes law enforcement and prevention of criminal activity, including addressing route causes and providing learning opportunities to high risk groups. The Multi-Agency School Support Team (MASST) is a partnership between the Calgary Police Service, Community & Neighbourhood Services, the Calgary Board of Education, the Calgary Catholic School District and Alberta Health Services.

MASST teams consist of a police officer and City social worker based in various Calgary schools. They work directly with children, their families, schools and community agencies to identify problems quickly and deliver prevention and intervention services to children aged 5-12 years. A Social Return on Investment evaluation has shown that MASST is making an impact on the lives of children in Calgary.

“We are very honoured our MASST program was selected for the Safe Communities Award,” says Community & Social Development Manager, Cheryl Joynt. “If we intervene early in the lives of children demonstrating at-risk behaviour, we know we have a better chance of making a difference to that child’s long-term success – and that benefits everyone.”

“Thank you to the Provincial government for acknowledging the importance of early intervention programs such as MASST,” says Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson. “MASST pairs a police officer and social worker to work directly with at-risk youth and their families. By addressing risky behaviour early, we are able to steer kids away from crime to where their chances of success are far greater.”

The Innovation Award recognizes original ideas that provide creative solutions for improved services. The 311 Mobile App allows citizens to submit and track the status of service requests with their smartphones. When citizens report something like a pothole, they can attach a photo and use their GPS function to allow the app to detect the location. The information, attached photo and location citizens provide allow City employees to assess, prioritize and efficiently respond to requests.

“I’m proud that my colleagues at The City are being recognized for ingenuity in making services more accessible to citizens,” says Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “The 311 Mobile App contributes to the transformation of government, and it provides a quick and cost effective way for citizens to directly improve their community.”

The awards were presented on November 21 at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association conference in Calgary. The Minister’s Awards for Municipal Excellence involve a rigorous process of application, documentation and review, and the awards are open to municipalities across Alberta.

The 2013 Mayor’s Urban Design Award Winners

The best submissions in ten categories were selected at the 2013 Mayor’s Urban Design Awards last week. The awards highlight the work of designers, architects and artists who produce high quality buildings and public spaces. Check out the awards page for 2013 for all the details.

Each winner and honourable mention was selected by a renowned group of jurors including: Stephen Teeple, founding principal of Teeple Architects in Toronto, Trevor Boddy, Vancouver- based critic of contemporary architecture and a consulting urban designer, Dr. Peter Sargious, Chronic Disease Management, Alberta Health Services, Mark Lindquist, Landscape Architect and Assistant Professor, Faculty of
Environmental Design at the University of Calgary and Alexandra Haeseker, an internationally practicing visual artist based in Calgary.

The Mayor’s Urban Design Awards are a partnered program with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).  Some winners selected at MUDA 2013 will compete in the National Urban Design Awards early in 2014.  The three exceptions are the Mawson Award, City Edge Development and The Great City, Great Design award as these are award categories that have been adopted at the local level only.

Celebrating Community Heroes: Presentation of the Governor General’s Commendation for Outstanding Service

At a special public ceremony on Tuesday, September 17, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, presented a commendation for outstanding service to the citizens of Calgary for their response to the 2013 floods.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi accepted the award on behalf of all Calgarians. Alberta country star Corb Lund performed at the event.