Edmonton Historical Board's 2011 Recognition Awards
By Lawrence Herzog
Herzog on Heritage | January 30, 2012 | Article 016
The Edmonton Historical Board has proudly presented its 2011 Recognition Awards to three citizens and two organizations for their efforts as champions of the city’s history. The ceremony, held November 3rd at the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre, marked the 37th year for the awards, first handed out in 1975.
This year’s recipients join a roster of exceptional individuals and groups who have
contributed to the city’s history by playing a part in its development, preserving it or spreading awareness about it. Here’s a little about each of them:
Dr. Merrill Distad
For nearly 25 years, Dr. Merrill Distad has served the University of Alberta as a librarian, author, editor, and adjunct professor in the School of Library and Information Studies. He has invested countless hours identifying and acquiring resources that focus on Western Canadian history, and then working to make those resources digitally accessible for students and other researchers. Some of the notable documents he has acquired include a letter written by Louis Riel in 1869, and the papers of Sir Sam Steele of the North-West Mounted Police.
The well-known Peel’s Bibliography of the Canadian Prairies, which Dr. Distad co-edited in its 2003 third edition, paved the way for Peel’s Prairie Provinces, an exceptional website. This on-line resource brought together the bibliography and thousands of electronic versions of books, articles, newspapers, and photographs onto one site at http://peel.library.ualberta.ca.
Dr. Distad has written many articles in historical, library, and university publications, and authored the centenary history of the University of Alberta Library in 2009. He wrote the introduction to the catalogue of a 2011 exhibit of historical postcards from the Peel website and the Special Collections library at the University.
In presenting the award, Edmonton Historical Board member Lee Smith paid tribute to “Dr. Distad's determination and perseverance in forging partnerships with other institutions” along with fundraising and negotiating the transfer of valuable documents. His efforts have helped enhanced “our understanding of the history of Edmonton and Alberta [and] will secure his reputation in Canadian preservation circles,” Smith said.
David Murray
As an architect, heritage advocate, educator and author, David Murray has enriched and expanded the scope and scale of Edmonton’s built heritage. Murray began practicing architecture in Edmonton in 1969 after graduating from the University of Toronto. He has built a successful architectural practice specializing in the restoration and preservation of heritage buildings.
His articles, reviews and lectures include The Practice of Post-War Architecture in Edmonton: An Overview of the Modern Movement, 1936-1960; and Capital Modern: Edmonton Architecture and Urban Design, 1937-1969. In recognition of his architectural skill and vision, he has received a variety of awards including the Edmonton Urban Design Merit Award in 2009.
Over the years, Murray has contributed to the creation of historic design guidelines, revitalization projects and building inventories for a wide range of small and large Alberta communities. He has “provided invaluable guidance to communities, municipal governments and individuals in their efforts to preserve, restore and protect historical resources,” Smith said at the awards presentation. “The landscape of Edmonton would be dramatically changed if his efforts and dedication had not been brought to bear.”
Marlena Wyman
From 1982 to 2011, Marlena Wyman served as the audio-visual archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta. She was responsible for the acquisition, preservation and documentation of the historic photograph, film, video and sound collections for the Government of Alberta.
In so doing, she played an active role in the preservation and interpretation of photography and visual arts, and helped enhance the visual record of the province’s history. Wyman also headed the development of a video dubbing room for preservation duplication of the Archives’ collection.
She served as curator for several significant archival exhibits and produced the Provincial Archives of Alberta’s Annual Film Night from 1985 until 2010. The event showcases historical and entertaining films from the film holdings at the Archives.
Wyman retired from the Provincial Archives of Alberta in March 2011 to more fully pursue her longstanding work as a visual artist. Her artwork incorporates historic themes and images, and has been exhibited in local galleries and others across Canada.
Royal Glenora Club
Officially opened in Edmonton’s river valley in 1961, the Royal Glenora Club has served the community for more than 50 years. It has helped to nurture the careers of many elite athletes and champions who have represented Canada all over the world.
The club was created with the coming together of the Royal Curling Club (established 1917), the Glenora Skating and Tennis Club (established 1923) and the Braemar Badminton Club. Their goal was to create a new organization to develop a comprehensive sports facility that would be unmatched by any other in the city.
The building that has been home to the club since the beginning is a showcase of the modernist style, designed by the renowned architectural firm of Rule, Wynn and Rule. From the beginning, “the Royal Glenora Club dedicated itself to becoming a centre for social and family events and to maintaining a consistent focus on fitness and excellence in sport,” Smith said at the awards presentation.
Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta
The Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta (UCAMA) was established in 1971 on the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the first Ukrainian settlers to Canada. “As one of the largest and most cohesive ethnic groups to settle in the Canadian West, Ukrainians have always maintained a strong sense of identity, community and history,” Smith said at the awards presentation.
The establishment of the museum provided the means to preserve and celebrate the memorabilia of the Ukrainian pioneers. The gathering together of the collection was spearheaded in the mid-1960s by Hryhory and Stefania Yopyk, who opened their home as a depository for significant artifacts and documents.
They did their best to restore damaged items and catalogue the materials, but the collection quickly outgrew their residence. A group of prominent citizens came together in 1971 to form the Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta. The museum opened its doors in 1974.
When a feasibility study found the original building was functionally obsolete, the UCAMA decided in 2003 to purchase the former Lodge Hotel and Brighton Block at 9660 and 9670 Jasper Avenue. The organization is now working to rehabilitate and restore portions of these two historical buildings to house its archives, library and museum. For more information on the project, visit www.ucama.ca.
Next time: A look at the Edmonton Historical Board’s 2011 Plaque Award recipients.
© 2012 Lawrence Herzog, All Rights Reserved.
Photos:
David Murray receiving his Recognition Award at the Edmonton Historical Board's 37th Annual Recognition and Plaque Awards.
Marlena Wyman receiving her Recognition Award at the Edmonton Historical Board's 37th Annual Recognition and Plaque Awards.
Nancy Cranston accepting the Recognition Award on behalf of the Royal Glenora Club at the Edmonton Historical Board's 37th Annual Recognition and Plaque Awards.
Khrystyna Kohut accepting the Recognition Award on behalf of the UCAMA at the Edmonton Historical Board's 37th Annual Recognition and Plaque Awards.
