Chamber honours community icons

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Posted: June 13, 2013

Chamber honours community icons

Dr. Nick Rubidge, left, with chamber president Mike Adams.

Cranbrook has many distinctive qualities that make it one of the finest small cities in Canada.

Achievers of all levels and form have risen from its human ranks and the quality of life provided in the city by its volunteer organizations, institutions and businesses is second to none.

It is the East Kootenay’s market centre, medical bastion, transportation hub, government services base, industrial support services base and it is also a college town and home to two of the region’s finest heritage attractions – the Cranbrook Museum of Rail Travel and nearby Fort Steele Heritage Town.

On June 12 a couple of residents who have left an indelible and undeniably important mark on the city and region were honoured by the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce – during a monthly meeting sponsored by Fort Steele.

Dr. Nicholas Rubidge, retiring president and chief executive officer of College of the Rockies (COTR) and Garry Anderson, recently retired executive director of the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel and the Cranbrook Archives, Museum and Landmark Foundation (CAMAL), were recognized by a packed Heritage Inn chamber of commerce luncheon crowd Wednesday.

Chamber president Mike Adams introduced Dr. Rubidge, one of the people responsible for the creation of East Kootenay Community College, which morphed in COTR in 1995. Rubidge humbly and humorously expressed his gratitude for the honour, noting he is doubting that retirement is going be to all that retiring.

CAMAL board member Corinne Friesen and chamber of commerce administrative assistant Laura Kennedy introduced Anderson, outlining with warmth and a few gentle rib-jabs what an impact he has had not just on the Railway Museum, which was his brainchild and baby for 30 years, but also on preserving heritage in the Key City.

Anderson expressed his thanks for the honour and concluded by urging chamber members to keep thinking about and working to preserve the city’s heritage.