The night of October 14 was filled with pride and honour as award recipients, guests, staff and board members celebrated the biennial Heritage Awards at the historic McDougall Centre in Calgary.
The Alberta Historical Resources Foundation presented the awards in four categories to 14 deserving individuals and organizations in recognition of their accomplishments and contribution to the preservation and promotion of Alberta’s heritage.
Outstanding Achievement
- Don Hepburn (Red Deer)
- Howard Fredeen (Lacombe)
- Jean Johnstone (Lethbridge)
- Nancy Millar (Calgary)
- Honourable mention – Elizabeth and Bill Bullick (Coronation)
Heritage Conservation
- Glen Leslie Church Preservation Group (County of Grande Prairie), Glen Leslie Church restoration
- Empress and District Historical Society (Empress), Canadian Pacific Railway Station restoration
Heritage Awareness
- Crowsnest Heritage Initiative, “Discover Crowsnest Heritage” signage program
- Haying in the 30’s Cancer Support Society, “Haying in the 30’s” event
- Honourable mention – Bear Lake Canuck Historical Society, “Canuck Classic: The Story of a Treasured One-Room School”
- Honourable mention – Milo Library Archives, “Milo Library Archives On-Line Access Project”
Municipal Heritage Preservation
- Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8
- Yellowhead County
- Honourable mention – Town of Raymond
Additional information is available on the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation webpage at http://culture.alberta.ca/heritage-and-museums/grants-and-recognition/heritage-awards/.
Congratulations and thank you to all Heritage Award Recipients!
RETROactive 
My mom and dad met at the Empress CPR Station: Dad was the telegrapher, Mom was a nurse at the Empress Hospital. Both were from CPR families, one grandfather rode trains out of the Empress Station. My uncle ran the general store, while his sister-in-law – my aunt – provided legendary amounts of generous local colour!
Empress itself was originally surveyed as a large city, is now a small village in a picturesque setting in the Palliser Triangle. It’s a really friendly place.
Congratulations to the Empress and District Historical Society for restoring the station, and St. Mary’s Anglican Church and Outhouse!