Applause Awards Presented at Gala Event

This evening the City of St. John’s will present its civic awards at a Gala Event at the St. John’s Convention Centre. Awards presented include:

• Youth of the Year (senior and junior)
• Senior of the Year
• Heritage Awards
• Legend Award for Tourism 

The recipients of this year’s Building Healthy Communities Volunteer awards will receive special acknowledgement at the event, and the City will also recognize the members of its Advisory Committees, Working Groups, Boards and Experts Panels.

“This is the first year that we have presented these awards at one, gala event and we are pleased to acknowledge these deserving individuals and groups who contribute greatly to life in our City,” said Mayor Breen.

Junior Youth of the Year for 2021 is Maia Mckeown, a Grade 8 student at Brother Rice Junior High.

Tanish Bhatt, a Grade 10 student at Gonzaga High School, is Senior Youth of the Year.

The Senior of the Year for 2021 is Jocelyn Delaney, a leading volunteer in the Shea Heights Community.

Heritage Awards will be presented to five properties in St. John’s:

• 87 Circular Road
• 40 King’s Road
• 3 Walsh’s Square
• 165 Gower Street
• 353 Southside Road 

The Legend Award, for an individual or group that has made significant contributions to the enhancement of tourism in St. John’s, will be presented to the George Street Association.

Winners for the Building Healthy Communities Awards include:

• Catherine Wells-Drodge (Adult Category)
• Abby Pace (Youth Category)
• Go Getters NL (Group Category) 

(See backgrounder below for details on the award recipients)

BACKGROUNDER
Maia Mckeown: Junior Youth of the Year. Mckeown is a well-rounded individual with a penchant for languages and a talent for music. She actively participates in school groups at Brother Rice Junior High and performs with the Shalloway Youth Choir and the CALOS Youth Orchestra and volunteers her time at Kenny’s Pond Retirement Residence. She also volunteered last year at Vera Perlin Society summer camps. An award-winning short story writer and public speaker, McKeown also performs with Best Kind Productions, and has appeared at numerous music festivals and events from St. John’s to Carbonear.

Tanish Bhatt: Senior Youth if the Year. A Grade 10 student at Gonzaga High School Bhatt is a competitive tennis and badminton player and an outstanding student: Winner of the Sanofi Biogenius Competition in the Atlantic Canada Division for 2021; Gold Medalist at the 2019 NL Science Fair and the MUN Department of Psychology Award; Winner of the MacDonald Drive Junior High Citizen of the Year Award and Student Leadership Award (2021); and recipient of the Jeff Babstock Award in 2021. He is spearheading the Gonzaga SpellingBee4Literacy, is actively involved in the STEM program and was accepted to participate in the Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Parliament 2022 session.

Jocelyn Delaney: Senior of the Year. Jocelyn has been a leading volunteer in the Shea Heights Community for over 50 years. From Boy Scouts to sports teams to working the canteen at the Folk Festival, Jocelyn makes it her mission to ensure that no one is excluded from community events. She is currently a key player in organizing Winterfest and is also an active member of the Shea Heights Community Centre Board.

George Street Association: The Legend Award. The George Street Association, through their work to preserve the spirit of the world-famous George Street, has made downtown St. John's a "must see" travel destination. From rich history to "Screech Ins" to world class live music, George Street is on the bucket list of many a tourist traveling to the Avalon! Furthermore, the Annual George Street Festival is a major draw for music fans locally, nationally and internationally.

Building Healthy Communities Volunteer Awards

Catherine Wells-Drodge (Adult Category). Catherine exemplifies how to support healthy lifestyles and create a vibrant community through her volunteer work over the last three decades. We recognized Catherine for her dedicated contributions across each of the five pillars of our Healthy City Strategy, but specifically for her advocacy on city issues that lead to more informed, engaged and connected citizens.

Abby Pace (Youth Category). We recognize Abby Pace for her volunteer work with The Gathering Place, Eastern Health, NLAA, Skate Canada and Special Olympics. Abby embodies the healthy community pillars of Inclusion, Environment and Healthy Neighborhoods and People, and helping to build inclusive communities with deep social and community connections.

Go Getters NL (Community Group Category).  Go Getters NL is a youth service initiative focused on increasing community service, civic engagement, and advocacy in young adults ages 19 – 30. From connecting with seniors at Cambridge Estates to hosting free gender-neutral clothing swaps supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+community, Go Getters NL are making a difference to the lives of many here in St. John's. They are recognized for their contributions to the healthy community pillars of Inclusion and Healthy Neighbourhoods and People.

Heritage Awards

For infill development that blends into a Heritage Area 2 neighbourhood: Alasdair Black for 87 Circular Road. Mr. Black has incorporated design elements from all the original houses nearby his – so much so that visitors assume it to be the original house with an extensive renovation.

For rehabilitating an older building, including successfully integrating modern elements: Newfoundland Independent Filmmakers Co-operative for 40 King’s Road. In addition to their contributions in the film and arts industries, NIFCO have contributed greatly to the St. John’s built heritage through the restoration of their building at 40 King’s Road. It is an excellent example of how old heritage homes can be revitalized into new uses.

For rehabilitating an older building, including successfully integrating modern elements: Chris Woodford and Caitlin Charman for 3 Walsh’s Square. The original house dated back to at least 1892 and was in incredibly rough shape. New wood cladding, along with new windows and cedar shakes help reconnect the house to its past. Original interior elements that had been covered by previous renovations were exposed included a wood/ bead board ceiling. The house was altered to help bring it up to new standards demonstrating that houses of this age are still quite relevant in a modern context.

For preserving or restoring the original character of a building in Heritage Area 2: Anthony Chadwick and Heather Reeves for 165 Gower Street. The property owners found that the original 1890s foundation needed replacing and alterations to the cladding were needed to bring the house up to code. Renovations included a new foundation, cladding, front door and trims, all of which enhanced the building while preserving and restoring the original character of the building, all of which will preserve this building long into the future.

For preserving or restoring the original character of an older building: Brandon Hillier and Bree Parsons for 353 Southside Road. This property is a rare example of mid-19th century semi-detached wooden structures built in the Victorian Bracketed style of architecture. This style is reflected in the steep peaked roof, first storey bay window and elaborate decorative balustrade and eaves brackets. The owners have updated the exterior while maintaining the original and unique character of this dwelling.