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For Release
August 29, 2005

Western Economic Diversification Canada Invests in Lougheed House

Calgary, Alberta – The Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport), today announced an investment of $300,000 that will allow the Lougheed House Conservation Society to enhance interpretive capacity at Beaulieu, the Historic Lougheed House, in Calgary.

The Lougheed House, which celebrated its official opening at a public event yesterday, is a national historic site dedicated to commemorating and preserving Calgary's early history. The mansion, originally built on a 2.8 acre parcel of land in 1891, was home to James and Isabella Lougheed, grandparents of the Honourable Peter Lougheed, former Premier of Alberta.

"With the 100 th anniversary of Alberta's Inauguration Day just around the corner, the Government of Canada's contribution to Lougheed House has a special resonance," said Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan. "Not only does this investment pay tribute to Alberta's builders and help us preserve an important part of Alberta's history, it also ensures that today's Albertans will have an opportunity to learn more about our province's past and share this knowledge with generations to come."

"Western Economic Diversification Canada is proud to be a partner in Lougheed House," said Minister Stephen Owen. "Our investment in this historic site will attract tourists from across Canada, which will have a positive impact on Calgary's economy and increase the overall quality of life in the city."

"The Lougheed House Conservation Society is delighted to receive support from the Government of Canada. This funding will assist in enhancing the visitor experience, and that in turn will encourage more people from across Canada and around the world to visit this very special national historic site, " said Dr. Trudy Cowan, Executive Director of the Lougheed House Conservation Society.

Western Economic Diversification Canada's investment consists of four components: collections acquisition, interpretive exhibit development, interpretive publications development, and documentation and conservation of artifacts and archives. Through this funding, interpretive capacity at Lougheed House will be improved, enriching the experiences of site visitors.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in Budget 2005.

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Backgrounder

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)

• Western Economic Diversification Canada works in partnership with provinces, industry associations and communities to stimulate and diversify Western Canada's economy, as well as to represent the interests of the West in national economic policy.
• WD is announcing a contribution of $300,000 to the Lougheed House Conservation Society. This funding will enhance the interpretive capacity of Lougheed House in Calgary. The investment is composed of four components:
  • Collections acquisition: to assist Lougheed House in collecting material that was owned by Senator Sir James and Lady Isabella Hardisty Lougheed and their family.
  • Interpretive exhibit development: to assist in the completion of four interpretive exhibit panels, three exterior exhibit panels and five showcases, as well as to help create and open three temporary exhibits and design and complete a portable exhibit.
  • Interpretive publications development: to facilitate the creation of publications that will better convey the Lougheed House story to children, non-English speakers and other individuals.
  • Documentation and conservation of artifacts and archives: to help preserve and collect the personal archives of former Premier Peter Lougheed, as well as family papers, photographs, copies of material in other archival collections and the records of the Lougheed House Conservation Society.
• WD's investment, made through its Western Diversification Program (WDP), supports WD's aim of creating more sustainable communities by increasing the viability and diversification of local economies.

Beaulieu, the Historic Lougheed House

• The Lougheed House was built in 1891 on a 2.8 acre parcel of land for Senator James Lougheed and his wife Isabella Hardisty Lougheed, grandparents of the Honourable Peter Lougheed, former Premier of Alberta.
• Besides being the private residence of the Lougheed family until the 1930s, the house has also served, over the years, as a women's residence and training centre, a barracks for the Canadian Women's Army Corps, and a blood donor clinic and headquarters for the Canadian Red Cross Society.
• The Province of Alberta designated the house a Provincial Historic Resource in November 1976.
• The Lougheed House Conservation Society established its offices on site in 1995, spearheading the project to restore the house and convert Beaulieu into an historic interpretive site.
• The Lougheed House was designated a national historic site in 1992 by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
• Beaulieu, the Historic Lougheed House opened as a Public Heritage Centre on May 1, 2005. An official opening ceremony took place on August 28, 2005.

Lougheed House Conservation Society

• The Lougheed House Conservation Society is a non-profit society devoted to the restoration and re-use of Beaulieu, the historic Lougheed House and its Gardens.
• It is operated by a Board of Directors elected by the membership.
• The Society is committed to making Beaulieu, the historic Lougheed House and Gardens, a place of learning and enjoyment for all Albertans, as well as a tangible link to Canadian history.