Ottawa/Fraser Valley – The National Trust announced 10 finalists out of over 30 shovel ready applications from across Canada for its Next Great Save competition. Prize sponsor is Ecclesiastical Insurance. Out of the 10 finalists announced, 4 heritage sites across BC made the final cut: Duncan Train Station; Historic Hope Station; Rossland Drill Hall; Abbotsford’s Turner House.
A public online vote will start from January 20 – February 22. The heritage site with the most votes becomes the Next Great Save and wins the $50,000 prize to be used to help save and revitalize the heritage place. Winner will be announced on February 23.
Turner House (Abbotsford):
Did you know that historic buildings have a smaller carbon footprint than new buildings? A restored historic building is more energy efficient, and produces less waste, making them even greener options than an unrestored historic building! Heritage Abbotsford Society entered Na- tional Trust for Canada’s Next Great Save contest in the hopes of promoting environmental greening through preservation. If our community won, we would use the prize money to fund the preservation and restoration of Abbotsford’s oldest home, Turner House.
When this home was built, all roads did not lead to Rome – they lead to Turner House! People from all parts of what is now Abbotsford helped construct it, and we should all feel ownership of this culturally important place.
The prize money would cover the cost of the materials and local labor to create a community facility where we would teach red-listed heritage crafts- and skills to community members and students. This will include lectures, workshops, and interactive activities, as well as field trips, even as we work, so that you can see preservation in action. This is Public Archaeology and UNDRIP in action!
Historic Hope Station Rehab Project Story:
In 2020, a grassroots community campaign rose up to save the historic 1916 Hope CNR Train Station from demolition. The train station was much loved for a century but needed a new location, a new purpose, and a loving facelift. The result: Tashme Historical Society in partner- ship with the District of Hope put together a plan to rehabilitate the station into a one-of-kind his- toric community hub with museum & visitor centre, restaurant and co-work office space. The
vision: to become a “Gateway to our stories, a Gateway to hope”. One of those stories is the Japanese Canadian connection: over 8000 Japanese Canadians crossed the train platform in 1942 on their way to interior internment camps, including 2644 men, women and children who were forcibly sent to Tashme Internment Camp, 10 miles away. Historic Hope Station in Japanese, のぞみ駅 (nozomi-eki) means station of hope. The rehabbed station will give the gift of hope and community belonging to all who visit and a space for stories untold. The grand prize will cover the heritage architect consultant fees for the full set-of building drawings by a local highly respected heritage architect so the work can begin!
