Celebrating 25 Years of Heritage Calgary!
November 24, 2025
Heritage Calgary’s 25th Anniversary party in the historic Louise Block.
On the evening of November 6, we celebrated 25 years of Heritage Calgary with a packed house for a presentation and panel sharing stories of the people, places, and moments that shaped our city.
Heritage Calgary is a charitable Civic Partner of The City of Calgary. We maintain the Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources and evaluate potential historic sites, advise Council on heritage matters, and promote awareness of our shared heritage.
Our 25th anniversary event was hosted at Venue 308 in the historic Louise Block. The Louise Block, completed in 1911, is a fine example of an Edwardian Commercial building. You can learn more about the Louise Block on the Inventory.
David Finch speaks on the Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources.
The event began with a presentation by historian David Finch touching on the recent research he has done on Heritage Calgary’s history. Following the presentation, a panel of speakers was moderated by Executive Director Erika Topola. The panelists included:
Darryl Cariou, heritage conservation specialist and former City of Calgary Heritage Planner;
Josh Traptow, Executive Director of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation and past CEO of Heritage Calgary;
Michael McMordie, former professor with the Faculty of Environmental Design and former CHA board member;
Sarah Meilleur, the CEO of Calgary Public Library and former CHA board member.
Panelists from left to right: Sarah Meilleur, Michael McMordie, Josh Traptow, Darryl Cariou, and moderator Erika Topola.
The panel explored how Calgary’s heritage movement has evolved over time, highlighting the challenges and successes the organization has experienced along the way. Despite ongoing pressures from development, shifting economic cycles, and diverse community needs, Calgary’s heritage community continues to thrive—driven by creativity, dedication, and shared passion. At Heritage Calgary, we’re seeing more engagement with heritage than ever before, as many people—like us—recognize that heritage is not only about valuing our past but shaping our future.
The interest and passion of our community was well-represented at the event, with over 100 people in attendance connecting and sharing ideas and excitement for Calgary’s heritage. We thank our community for their ongoing support and look forward to the next 25 years and beyond!
This event would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation and Chalmers Heritage Conservation. Thank you so much for your support!