The “driving force” behind a proposed national urban park at the former Ontario Reformatory in Guelph is set to be celebrated for his heritage advocacy work.
P. Brian Skerrett of Urban Park Guelph will receive the A.K. Sculthorpe Award during next month’s 2024 Heritage Awards from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario (ACO).
“When the federal government and Parks Canada instituted the urban park proposals, Brian immediately challenged another group of citizens and organizations to form Urban Park Guelph, which he leads,” explains a post on the ACO’s website.
“Urban Park Guelph has collected 3,000+ signatures on a petition, created a lawn sign campaign, and talked to groups in Guelph and in other communities promoting the idea. Brian has also formed close connections with various First Nations groups and individuals who have now endorsed and supported the idea.”
As described on the ACO’s website, the A.K. Sculthorpe Award is handed out in recognition of an individual, informal group or established non-profit organization that “a critical point achieved exemplary success in a significant heritage crisis.”
Skerrett was "astonished and thrilled" when he learned of the recognition.
"The award names the research around the old reformatory, and this is the same land Urban Park Guelph is recommending for a national urban park. It’s a great recognition of the project and the opportunity here," he said in an emailed statement to GuelphToday.
Guelph will also be represented in two other categories during the Oct. 17 ACO awards ceremony.
Bonnie Durtnall is one of four nominees for the Stephen A. Otto Award for Research and Documentation.
“She has written for the Guelph Mercury and for Guelph Historical Society Publications, notably contributing to Guelph: Perspectives on a Century of Change 1900–2000, published in 2007. She is the author of three books on Guelph history: Bawdy Houses, Scallywags, Thieving Scoundrels & Illicit Booze: Prostitution & Murder – Guelph 1855-1960 [2020]; Labouring All Our Lives: Guelph’s Working Class History (1827 – 1950) [2021], and Haunted Guelph: Tales of the Supernatural [2023],” an ACO post explains.
City of Guelph staff is also in the running for the Paul Oberman Award for Adaptive Reuse in the large-scale/team/corporate category for its efforts at the F. M. Woods Waterworks building.
“Facing challenges of heritage preservation and modernization, the team skilfully restored the space’s grandeur while integrating advanced technology and sustainability features,” another post describes. “Their approach balanced heritage conservation with contemporary needs, achieving a seamless blend of history and functionality.”
There are six nominees up for that award.
