Town of Essex Presents Community Heritage Preservation Awards

At their Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 16, Council for the Town of Essex recognized four individuals for their dedication to protecting and celebrating local heritage.

“These awards raise awareness of the importance of heritage preservation to our social and economic development by recognizing individuals and organizations who exemplify what it means to honour and celebrate our community’s past,” said Mayor Larry Snively. “Congratulations to all these hard-working individuals who help us celebrate the Town’s amazing heritage.”

This year’s awards were presented to the following winners:

• Perry Basden for spearheading the formation of Heritage Colchester, a group dedicated to the protection of the historic aspects of the Village of Colchester.
• Elise Harding-Davis for her dedication to the preservation and promotion of African Canadian history.
• Chris Carter for his many books detailing the history of Villages and Hamlets past that, without his work, would be lost.
• William “Bill” Gay, who passed away earlier this year, was posthumously given the award for his endless efforts to save and fundraise for the Essex Train Station and for sharing his wealth of historical knowledge with the residents of the Town of Essex. His wife, Marlene Markham-Gay, received the award on his behalf.

Check out the full lineup of Heritage Week activities online at www.essex.ca/HeritageWeek