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February 20, 2006
2006 FHT Awards
Fredericton Heritage Trust Inc. is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2006 Heritage Awards. These awards were presented by Herménégilde Chiasson, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, as part of the Heritage Week celebration at the Legislative Library on Thursday, February 16, 2006. The 2006 Recipients are:
* Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation, Renovation of 7 Bridge St, Marysville
Previously known as Marysville Place Apartments (or more typically the Marysville Hotel), 7 Bridge Street was built in the 'textile town design' by Alexander "Boss" Gibson in 1886. Originally, the first floor consisted of living quarters for the manager (left side, back of building) with kitchen facilities and dining room on the right side, to the back. The front was a lounge for the building's occupants. The top two floors were taken up with rooms for 12 boarders.
Canadian Cottons Ltd. changed it to a boarding house for single or widowed women. It was sold in 1954, along with the other local holdings of Canadian Cottons Ltd.
Under private ownership, the condition of the building deteriorated, to the extent that tenants had to be removed due to health concerns resulting from pigeons nesting in the attic. It remained unoccupied for several years, incurring extensive fire damage in September, 2002, at which time it narrowly avoided demolition.
Ongoing negotiations and interventions by numerous parties helped 'buy time' until the Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation stepped forward. With assistance from all three levels of government and community support, the structure was substantially rebuilt to provide six, one bedroom and two, two bedroom apartments, officially opened in the summer of 2005.
* Elizabeth Hubley, Renovation of 258 Church Street
This house at the corner of Charlotte St was constructed in 1906 by prominent businessman James S. Neill, for his daughter Agnes S. (Neill) Foster and her husband Berton C. Foster. While the Neill family resided on the other side of Church St, the family carriage house is thought to have been on the property adjacent to 258 (towards Queen's Square).
The first and only principal at the first Fredericton High School (York St, now known as York House), Dr. Foster, after 35 years in that position, remains the longest serving principal in the history of FHS. He was also the first president of the New Brunswick Teachers Association.
It is believed that the house remained in the Foster family until Agnes' death in 1957, after which time it was briefly owned by the Hughes family, whose initials can still be seen etched in the glass of the inner porch door. During the 1970's it was owned by the University of New Brunswick for use as a student residence, known as Foster House, and later, under private ownership continued as an apartment/rooming house.
In 2005, it was purchased by Elizabeth Hubley, who immediately started renovations, including new roofing, selective clapboard replacement, exterior painting and extensive interior work, returning it to a single family residence.
* 4 Engineer Support Regiment, For Renovations to Charlotte St Arts Centre
4 Engineer Support Regiment (4ESR) was activated in December 1992 at CFB Gagetown, with the amalgamation of 22 Field Squadron from CFB Gagetown and 4 Combat Engineer Regiment from CFB Lahr (Germany). 4 ESR consists of 41 Construction Squadron, 42 General Support Squadron, 48 Administration Squadron and a Regimental Headquarters Troop.
4 ESR's operational role is to provide general support to the Canadian Army both at home and abroad. In peacetime, 4 ESR also provides field engineer and field engineer equipment support to CFB Gagetown and Land Force Atlantic Area.
Further review of the regiment's website reveals deployment to a variety locations, including Croatia, Rwanda, Haiti, Ethiopia, Winnipeg (1997 flood relief) and Nova Scotia (Swiss Air Disaster).
4 ESR has recently completed another important mission, somewhat closer to home, and certainly much appreciated by many citizens of Fredericton. Without their 'hands-on approach' to various aspects of renovations to the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, this project might still be at the planning stage.
* Fredericton Arts & Learning Inc, for the Charlotte St Arts Centre
A dream ten years in the making (and not quite finished yet), the transformation of the former Charlotte St School into an Arts Centre, represents a collective vision and effort on the part of many committed groups and individuals, as well as financial support from all three levels of government and the community at large. Central to this effort was the dedication of the Board of Fredericton Arts & Learning Inc.
* Dr. Ellen MacGillivray, for Long-term Commitment to Built and Natural Heritage
Ellen (MacLaggan) MacGillivray was born in South Devon (Fredericton) and attended the University of New Brunswick (Honorary Degree, 1981), University of Michigan, and University of Leiden in the Netherlands, where she graduated in 1958. She has written over 75 scientific papers and reports published in national and international journals. Her research, centered on the taxonomy and ecology of aphids, earned her a worldwide reputation and presidency (the first woman so named) of the Entomological Society of Canada, and was later named a Fellow of that Society.
Dr. MacGillivray has been active in many local organizations, including the Fredericton Society of St. Andrew, Nature Trust of NB, Canadian Forestry Association, Fredericton Fish and Game Association, and the Royal NB Rifle Association to name just a few, and was recognized by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce as a recipient of their 2000 Distinguished Citizen Award.
Dr. MacGillivray is a charter member of Fredericton Heritage Trust (1971), serving on the Board of Directors from 1971-74, and vice-president from 1973-74. During this time she was directly involved in efforts to dissuade city hall from demolishing many of the heritage buildings on the river side of Queen St (including City Hall itself, the Justice Building and the Sports Hall of Fame), by taking several days off work to petition people along Queen St and making a presentation before City Council. She was also active in the Old Burial Ground Sub-committee (Secretary 1986-1998) which promoted the idea of, and was instrumental in fund-raising for the fencing which now protects that site. Ellen has also been active on the City of Fredericton Tree Commission (1961-2002), which is a perfect tie-in for one of the Fredericton Heritage Trust 2006 activities to be announced later today.
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