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The Lions are coming
Promoting heritage preservation in Calgary through the Lion Awards.
When you think of Calgary’s heritage, do images of regal Victorian homes, majestic sandstone buildings or places like Fort Calgary come to mind? Think again. With a young city like Calgary, places of historical significance are closer to you than you would think. The Calgary Heritage Authority’s Lion Awards recognize citizens and groups who undertake initiatives, of any scale, in support of heritage conservation in Calgary. This year’s nomination deadline is May 28, 2010.
What does heritage look like in a young city? The Calgary Tower is considered a historically significant building to Calgary; maintaining or restoring a 1950’s bungalow to its original colour and detailing is considered preservation; even returning a backyard garden to how it might have been grown 50 years ago is of value to the heritage of a community. It is this type of tireless effort by dedicated homeowners that is honoured through the Lion Awards. Efforts also include citizen attempts to save and maintain community landmarks, as well as architects, craftsmen and developers whose exemplary work restores the richness of the past.
"Heritage in Calgary is not confined to the downtown core and the communities surrounding it. The size and scale of projects submitted for Lion Awards can vary greatly," says City of Calgary Heritage Planner, David Plouffe. “We want people to realize that if they’ve decided to restore or rehabilitate their existing mid-1900’s home, rather than tear it down and rebuild, then they may be eligible to submit it in one of the categories of the Lion Awards.”
Why go to the bother of preserving historic places in our communities? Historic conservation is part of good city building and community identity. Historic resources serve to celebrate the stories, places and events of the people that have shaped our communities. Since 1994, the Calgary Heritage Authority has had an awards program that celebrates the efforts of individuals, non-profit organizations, public agencies and corporations whose skill and determination have given new meaning to their communities through preservation. In 2006, the program became the Lion Awards to celebrate and recognize heritage excellence that happens in Calgary.
Are you or a group involved with a heritage conservation initiative? Maybe your project fits in one of the Lion Award categories. The nomination deadline is May 28, 2010 and the awards will be presented on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. For more information or for a nomination package, please visit www.calgary.ca/lionawards and click on the link for the 2010 awards.