THIS PLACE MATTERS helps save Canada's historic places: Communities to vie for $220,000 in National Trust for Canada competition

OTTAWA, June 15, 2017 /CNW/ - The National Trust announces the 25 communities across the country that will participate in its 2017 THIS PLACE MATTERS crowdfunding competition. Participating project groups from coast to coast will compete for the chance to win – and raise – much-needed funding to take on essential projects that include restoration, accommodating new uses, or improving visitor amenities at their historic places.   

"The 150^th anniversary of Confederation is a great milestone to recognize the role historic places play in telling our national story and creating meaningful spaces to live, work and play," says Natalie Bull, Executive Director of the National Trust. "We are thrilled to see so many communities supporting projects in THIS PLACE MATTERS, because we know that saving and renewing historic places improves quality of life and will help build sustainable and resilient communities for the next 150 years."  

The 2017 THIS PLACE MATTERS Participants are:

Big Projects (east to west)

• The Union Art Project – Sir William Ford Coaker Heritage Foundation, Port Union (Newfoundland)
• Guardian of the Gulf – Sydney Mines Tourism Development Society, Sydney Mines (Nova Scotia)
• Windows into the Future – First United Church, Truro (Nova Scotia)
• #CoolDownNotman – OSMO Foundation, Montreal (Quebec)
• Reconnecting with the Ottawa River: An Historic Boathouse Revitalization – Ottawa New Edinburgh Club, Ottawa (Ontario)
• Flushed with Success -- The Diefenbunker Washroom Project – Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum, Carp (Ontario)
• Keep our Light Shining! – Presqu'ile Point Lighthouse Preservation Society, Brighton (Ontario)
• Bata Library Transformation – Trent University, Peterborough (Ontario)
• Friends of Auchmar: Love the Dovecote Restoration Project – Friends of Auchmar, Hamilton (Ontario)
• Belle Vue House: A clear view for the future! – Belle Vue Conservancy, Amherstburg (Ontario)
• The Storied Barn – Neubergthal Heritage Foundation, Rhineland (Manitoba)
• Let's 'Cedar Shake' this place up. The Wolseley Opera Hall – Wolseley Heritage Foundation, Wolseley (Saskatchewan)
• Spirits of the Lyric! – Southwest Cultural Development Group, Swift Current (Saskatchewan)
• Full Steam Ahead…. Restore the One of a Kind, 1913 Canadian Northern Railway Roundhouse in Hanna, Alberta! – Hanna Roundhouse Society, Hanna (Alberta)
• Save Our King! – Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre, Fort Smith (Northwest Territories)
• A FIRM FOUNDATION – THE RICHMOND HOSPITAL/HEALTH CARE AUXILIARY THRIFT SHOP RENOVATION – Richmond Hospital/Healthcare Auxiliary, Steveston (British-Columbia)

Small Projects (east to west)

• Glenaladale… one brick at a time, our diamond in the rough – Glenaladale Heritage Trust, Tracadie (Prince Edward Island)
• BRINGING BACK THE BELFRY! High Tides Arts & Community Centre – The Chart Society, Maitland (Nova Scotia)
• The Doucet Hennessy Solar Panel project – Protecting our Future and Our Past – Doucet Hennessy House Association, Bathurst (New Brunswick)
• Refurbishing the Merritt Home – New Brunswick Historical Society, Saint John (New Brunswick)
• Spencerville Riverside Park; Big Plans for a Small Space – Spencerville Mill Foundation, Spencerville (Ontario)
• John McKenzie House Accessibility Project – Ontario Historical Society, North York (Ontario)
• FACELIFT FOR A GRANDE DAME – Heritage Hamilton Foundation, Hamilton (Ontario)
• Top off the Petrie – Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, Guelph and Wellington Branch, Guelph (Ontario)
• The Fryfogel Tavern Matters – Stratford Perth Heritage Foundation, Stratford (Ontario)

This online, social media-driven competition is an opportunity for Canadians to get involved in saving local historic places in need of support. There is $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 are national and regional prizes in each stream. 

From June 15 to July 17, participating groups promote their campaign on social media to encourage friends, family, colleagues and residents of the community to vote for and donate to their project. To give each campaign a further boost, every dollar donated to a project will count for one additional vote to that project. Prizes are distributed to the projects with the highest number of votes.

Participating groups can use the web platform to tell the story of their historic place and raise funds for their project during the competition. They keep those funds, even if they do not win a cash prize, making every project a winner. Groups can also access training and tools to help them increase their skills in fundraising and social media.

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. Since launching two years ago, over $725,000 has been directed to worthy heritage projects through this initiative.

THIS PLACE MATTERS is made possible thanks to the RBC Foundation and Commercial Properties Limited, and the generosity of donors.

To vote for or donate to a project: https://thisplacematters.ca/. Voting can be done once a day, per project, per person until July 17.

The National Trust for Canada is a national charity that inspires and leads action to save historic places. Our sites, projects and programs enhance community and quality of life and inspire Canadians to identify, conserve and celebrate their heritage buildings, cultural landscapes and communities for present and future generations.

SOURCE National Trust for Canada

Media Contact: Katrina Guerin, Manager of Communications, National Trust for Canada, [email protected], 613-237-1066 ext. 229