"A Celebration of Banff's Heritage"

On Tueday, June 22, 2010, Banff Heritage Tourism and The Banff Heritage Corporation will host the third annual "Celebration of Banff's Heritage" event to honour six outstanding organizations and individuals who efforts and passion bring to life the values that make Banff National Park unique.

The FREE event will be held at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and everyone is welcome. Doors open at 6:00pm and the formal program begins at 6:30pm. A cocktail reception will follow the program.

Banff Heritage Tourism will be recognizing three organizations and one individual who have done an extraordinary job of creating awareness of heritage tourism values. The individual being recognized is:

David Bayne – Mr. Bayne, who recently retired as the General Manager of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, has supported numerous heritage tourism initiatives throughout the Bow Valley for over 25 years and is a true champion for improving the quality of our visitor’s experience.

Banff Heritage Tourism will also recognize the following three organizations:

Great Divide Nature Interpretation , operated by Joel Hagen and Nadine Fletcher, is widely recognized as one of the premier guiding organizations in Banff National Park, pioneered the in-house interpretive offer for hotels in the Lake Louise area. GDNI provide a truly memorable experience for all their guests as they explore the very best of the park in a hands-on and informative way.

Baker Creek Chalets was first established circa 1948 as a dining and overnight stop on the scenic Banff-Lake Louise Coach Road for tourists sightseeing on their way to Lake Louise and Jasper. The tradition continues as a family owned and operated bungalow style camp offering guests a truly unique rocky mountain experience.

Sunshine Mountain Lodge, recently renovated and remodelled, has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and offers numerous opportunities for lodge guests to explore and appreciate the natural surroundings through tours and interpretive programs.

The Banff Heritage Corporation will be presenting two awards. The two recipients are:

Doug Gillmor is the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Doug is being recognized for his outstanding contribution to the conservation and promotion of heritage in Banff.

The Banff Heritage Corporation will also be providing a special recognition to E.J. (Ted) Hart for his years of dedication to the conservation and preservation of Banff and the national park.

Banff Heritage Tourism is a partnership between Parks Canada, the Town of Banff and Banff Lake Louise Tourism. Its mission is that every visitor experiences, and is inspired by, the authentic heritage of Banff National Park. The Banff Heritage Corporation was created by the Town of Banff and works toward the protection, preservation, enhancement and promotion of Banff’s built heritage.

For more information about the event, please contact Grant Canning, Executive Director of Banff Heritage Tourism, at grant@banffheritagetourism.com or 403-762-7610 or Claire Wilkinson, Heritage Planner for the Town of Banff, at claire.wilkinson@banff.ca or 403-762-1216.