From the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation:
The Fort Langley Legacy Foundation is very pleased to announce that on December 4th, 2018 Bob Blackhall was invited by the Provincial Government to accept the B.C. Medal of Good Citizenship on behalf of his late wife Bays. The award was presented by Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
The Medal of Good Citizenship is an award “which recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the well-being of their communities.”
Here is a letter was written on the Legacy Foundation’s behalf by Warren Sommer for the application.
“Joan “Bays” Blackhall
The historic village of Fort Langley is regarded as a charming reminder of a gentler age and a slower pace of life, evoking a time when neighbours supported one another and worked for the common good. That Fort Langley has built and sustained this enviable reputation is largely due to the efforts of a single person, Bays Blackhall. Her devotion to Fort Langley was legendary.
Fort Langley was Blackhall’s passion; promoting, enhancing and protecting the village’s character was her mission. Whenever there was a need, Blackhall was there: developing strategies, soliciting resources and building partnerships among diverse interest groups.
Although Blackhall’s involvement in community-building began as a schoolgirl, her innate interest in environmental stewardship, the arts and heritage conservation took hold and blossomed in Fort Langley.
Three decades ago, she mobilized the community to halt the development of a sanitary landfill at the historic Derby townsite. She successfully lobbied for the relocation of a planned Fraser River crossing to protect the site of the original Fort Langley. She also led community opposition to B.C. Hydro’s plan for a high voltage transmission line along the village’s southern boundary.
Blackhall was a creator as well as a critic, helping to organize the Derby Reach-Brae Island Park Partnership Association and managing the construction of the Houston Trail at Derby Reach Regional Park. She was an original member of the Fraser Valley Eco Museum Steering Committee and the local liaison for the construction of the Trans-Canada Trail Pavilion in Fort Langley.
Blackhall was active in both heritage and the arts, creating and managing the Fort Langley Grand Prix and Summer Fair, the Fort Festival of the Arts and the Summer Strings program for youth. She served on the boards of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation, the Fort Langley Community Improvement Society, the Langley Heritage Society, and the Langley Community Music School and its capital campaign committee.
Blackhall worked as a docent and exhibit assistant at its community museum. She was a fervent supporter of Fort Langley National Historic Site: founding the Friends of the Fort, establishing and fostering the site’s volunteer program and developing the gift shop.
She founded and administered the Fort Langley Tourism Information Centre and oversaw the ongoing restoration of the Fort Langley Community Hall. She chaired the C.N. Station Committee, coordinated its volunteers, and masterminded the acquisition of a historic railcar and caboose to complement the site.
Blackhall was one of a kind: a mentor and team builder. She was visionary, determined, hardworking and caring. She anticipated needs, seized opportunities and built capacity in others. She laboured long and hard for many endeavours, not for personal gain, but for the benefit of the community. She was, in short, an extraordinarily good citizen.
She is survived by her daughter Jan, son John, grandson Robert, and husband Bob of 65 wonderful years.”
The Fort Langley Legacy Foundation was also supported in their application with letters from our local MLA Rich Coleman, MP Mark Warawa, MP John Aldag and Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese, all of whom had known Bays and recognized her outstanding commitment to her community.
We are all very proud of Bays legacy and as she “recruited” us all to be directors of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation, this award is hopefully just one step in our community recognizing the amazing person Bays was, and the work she did on our behalf.
Regards,
The Directors of the Fort Langley Legacy Foundation:
Grant Rawstrom
Andy Schildhorn
Harold Whittell
Lynda Lightfoot
Brigitte Wieronski
Erin Easingwood
Petrina Arnason
Joe Stott
Tom Annandale
Wendy Canessa