Report on Heritage Day 2013

Shown here are Minister Terry French, Victoria Fitzgerald, HaeNa Luther, and Ashley Synyard at the Heritage Day poster contest presentation which took place yesterday at The Plantation in Quidi Vidi.  Over 1000 students from 50 schools across the province produced submissions for the contest. This contest was open to all schools in the province, and was organized through HFNL.

Victoria Fitzgerald, a grade 11 student at Gonzaga High School, St. John’s, submitted the overall winning submission. The winning submissions at the other grade levels were:

• Primary – Jorja Pevie, Grade 3, Jakeman All Grade, Trout River, 
• Elementary – HaeNa Luther, Grade 5, Stella Maris Academy, Trepassey and, 
• Junior High – Ashley Synyard, Grade 7, Roncalli Central High, Avondale. 

Judges for the event included Margaret Walsh Best, artist and art educator; and Debra A. Barnable, visual artist and consultant.

Then, in the afternoon, I headed off to City Hall for the Heritage Day celebrations there. During the weekly City Council meeting, Mayor Dennis O’Keefe signed a proclamation which officially recognized the day as Heritage Day, and yours truly presented him with a copy of the Foundation's Heritage Day poster.

The City then presented Certificates of Recognition to the following residents and businesses:

• Todd Perin, Kim Doyle and Stephen Lee for 8 Barrows Road, The Mallard Cottage
• Christopher and Donna Hickman for 46 Circular Road, Brookdale
• Paul Crosbie and Ellen Dinn for 70 Circular Road, Sunnyside
• Glen Power and Florence Kennedy for 27 -29 Holloway Street
• Judy Ryerson, Quidi Vidi Village Foundation and Paul Chafe, Stantec for 10 Maple View Place, Quidi Vidi Village Plantation
• Craig Flynn and Brenda O’Reilly for 288 Water Street, YellowBelly Brewery and Public House
• G J Cahill & Company for 240 Waterford Bridge Road, The Tower Corporate Campus

“The heritage areas are the heart and soul of our City and we are very pleased today to honour commercial and residential property owners for their work in rehabilitating, restoring and celebrating our rich built heritage,” said Mayor O’Keefe. “These properties are a wonderful illustration of what can be accomplished when owners take pride in their homes, businesses and City. I am very pleased to congratulate each of our award recipients for the excellent work they have done in our heritage areas.”