National Trust announces winners in THIS PLACE MATTERS crowdfunding competition
Competing historic places across Canada share over $684,000 in cash prizes and donations
Ottawa, Ontario, July 24, 2017 – The National Trust announces eight winning projects that participated in its 2017 THIS PLACE MATTERS national crowdfunding competition.
- Big Projects National Prize ($60,000): Windows into the Future by First United Church (Truro, NS)
- Big Projects Regional-West Prize ($30,000): Spirit of the Lyric by Lyric Theatre (Swift Current, SK)
- Big Projects Regional-Central Prize ($30,000): Keep Our Light Shining by PPLPS (Brighton, ON)
- Big Projects Regional-East Prize ($30,000): Union Art Project by Sir William Ford Coaker Heritage Foundation (Port Union, NL)
- Small Projects National Prize ($30,000): Spencerville Riverside Park by Spencerville Mill Foundation (Spencerville, ON)
- Small Projects Regional-Central Prize ($15,000): Top off the Petrie by Architectural Conservancy Ontario Guelph Wellington Branch (Guelph, ON)
- Small Projects Regional-East Prize ($15,000): Glenaladale… One Brick at a Time, Our Diamond in the Rough by Glenaladale Heritage Trust (Tracadie, PE)
- Community Builder Prize ($10,000): Belle Vue House – A Clear View Into the Future by Belle Vue Conservancy (Amherstburg, ON)
Twenty-five participating project groups from coast to coast competed from June 14 to July 20 for Canadians’ votes and donations. Every group had the chance to win – and raise – much-needed funding for essential projects. A full list of the participating projects can be found here.
“At the close of five weeks of intense competition, the National Trust is deeply grateful for Canadians’ enthusiasm and generosity. THIS PLACE MATTERS 2017 raised awareness and much needed dollars for Canada’s historic places,” said Natalie Bull, executive director. “Our sincere congratulations and thanks go out to the community groups championing all 25 projects. Along with the prizes awarded, each project is a winner as they’ve all raised funds to help regenerate beloved community places that matter.”
This online, social media-driven competition was an opportunity for Canadians to get involved in saving local historic places in need of support. There was $220,000 in prizes to be won in two prize streams: Big Projects (projects with a budget of $60,000 or more) and Small Projects (projects with a budget of under $60,000). There were national and regional prizes in each stream.
Participating groups promoted their campaign on social media to encourage friends, family, colleagues, residents of the community and beyond to vote for and donate to their project. Every dollar donated to a project also counted as one additional vote to that project. Prizes were distributed to the projects with the highest number of votes in their category.
The goal of the National Trust’s THIS PLACE MATTERS competition is to bring together community partners and community members to breathe new life into historic places across Canada. The initiative also encourages participating project groups to connect with young people, both in their community and through the National Trust. This year, five young volunteers, Micaela Dixon, Khalil Guliwala, Molly Pendergast, Dan Rose, and Sara McGillivray, had the opportunity to lend social media support to participating project groups. Since launching two years ago, over $1,400,000 has been directed to worthy heritage projects through THIS PLACE MATTERS.
THIS PLACE MATTERS 2017 was made possible thanks to the RBC Foundation and Commercial Properties Limited, and the generosity of many donors.
The National Trust is now accepting proposals from sponsors and partners for the next THIS PLACE MATTERS competition.
