Awards

Bert Hunt Heritage Certificate Award

Recognizing contributions to preserving Richmond Hill’s heritage. Sponsored by The Richmond Hill Historical Society.

This award acknowledges outstanding contributions to the preservation of Richmond Hill’s past and efforts to raise awareness about the value of that past to the community and its citizens. This award also acknowledges the contributions made by the late Bert Hunt to heritage conservation efforts in Richmond Hill over many years.

Bert Hunt was recognized as a community volunteer and Citizen of the Year by both the City of Richmond Hill and the Province of Ontario. His advocacy for a new museum in Richmond Hill was instrumental in launching a Museum Feasibility Study that saw widespread consultations and a final report that was accepted by Town Council and now forms the basis of ongoing efforts to move towards the reality of a new Richmond Hill museum. Bert was also a leader in a project to preserve individual peoples’ stories of Richmond Hill, and his personal efforts to capture this invaluable historic resource were fundamental to it’s success.

Bert Hunt was a tireless advocate for preserving Richmond Hill’s history and his contributions have been recognized on many occasions. The Bert Hunt Heritage Award is an attempt to acknowledge the legacy that is Bert Hunt’s lasting gift to our Town.

The Award will be made annually by the Richmond Hill Historic Society in June. The recipient will be chosen from nominations received from the community following a public Call for Nominations issued in March of each year.The recipient will be selected based upon the degree to which their nomination meets the following criteria:

• a resident or organization of the Town of Richmond Hill;
• an ongoing contribution to the conservation and preservation of Richmond Hill’s heritage; and
• an effort to raise awareness about the value of that heritage to the community and its citizens.

A nominee’s contribution can relate to:

• tangible heritage in Richmond Hill, such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art and artifacts; or
• intangible heritage in Richmond Hill, such as folklore, oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, language and the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

A final decision will be made by the Executive of the Richmond Hill Historic Society in May of each year, the recipient will be notified, and arrangements made, with appropriate publicity, for the award to be presented at the Society’s annual Strawberry Social in June.

Please contact Andrea Kulesh, President of the Richmond Hill Historical Society to submit your nomination at 905-884-2789 or r.hillhistsoc at gmail.com.

Past Winners

2017 – Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church
2018 – Richmond Hill Lawn Bowling Club
2019 – Burr House