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Mayor presents keys to the city |
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Written by editor
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Friday, 13 November 2009 |
Gerald Gauthier
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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No fewer than 11 local citizens and organizations joined some select company Friday when they were handed symbolic keys to the city.
In a special ceremony at City Hall, Mayor Bob Tarleck bestowed the city’s highest honour on recipients for their significant accomplishments in the fields of art, education, academic research, law, agriculture, law enforcement and international relationship building.
“There are just an incredible number of deserving recipients,” Tarleck said following the ceremony. “I think that’s a reflection of incredible vitality. It’s not that we’ve lowered our standards, but we’ve got some great community builders in Lethbridge.”
Among the nine individuals honoured with keys to the city was Delia Cross Child, a Blackfoot artist and educator whose work is credited with raising the profile of First Nations’ issues and rebuilding pride among aboriginal people.
“It’s a really wonderful acknowledgment. The work that I do is for my community, it’s for my family,” said Cross Child, who teaches art and English at Kainai High School on the Blood Reserve.
“I enjoy what I do. I have a passion for art and artists, and I enjoy sharing that with my students.”
Traditionally, the key to the city is given to visiting dignitaries or deserving citizens as a sign of honour and welcome, symbolically placing the city at the recipients’ disposal. It is presented at the mayor’s discretion.
“We hadn’t done anything comparable to this until my first term as mayor. We should have probably done this in the past, and now we realize how important it is for our community,” Tarleck said.
Others honoured included University of Lethbridge researchers Bryan Kolb and David Naylor, retired RCMP Supt. Lloyd Hickman, Lethbridge Twinning Society President Harold Pereverseff, McIntyre Ranching Company President Ralph Thrall, as well as Paul Stevenson, John Bolton and Jack Gleason who were key organizers for the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games held in Lethbridge in January.
Two local organizations were also honoured. Tarleck presented a key to representatives of the Allied Arts Council primarily for the organization's work in planning local celebrations commemorating the centennial of the High Level Bridge. A key was also presented to the local law firm Davidson and Williams. Founder C.F.P. Conybeare established the firm in 1885 when he became the city’s first lawyer.
Kolb is one of the most influential neuroscientists in the world, and Naylor is one of the world’s foremost experts on astronomy. During his career, Hickman oversaw security operations for the 2002 G-8 international summit at Kananaskis.
Pereverseff has helped foster sister city relationships with Towada, Japan and Culver City, Calif. In addition to overseeing one of the largest ranches in Canada, Thrall has been a dedicated member of several corporate and post-secondary boards.
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