The City of Nelson announced the 2024 Sustainability in Leadership and Heritage award winners, along with the 2025 Sports and Cultural Ambassadors, at its annual reception on December 10.
2025 Cultural Ambassador
Lou Lynn has been appointed as Nelson’s 2025 Cultural Ambassador, which comes with a $1,000 honorarium.
Lynn is a visual artist and the recipient of the Governor General’s Saidye Bronfman Award in Visual and Media Arts, the highest honour awarded by the federal government. This award acknowledges her sustained contribution to culture across Canada.
Her work explores the archaeology of daily life through form and material, creating contemporary objects that reference once-familiar tools, utensils, and functional items. These objects fascinate her as she reinterprets their design and scale.
Her impact on the art world has resonated across Canada and beyond, while contributing to the growth of hundreds of artists in the region. She taught for over two decades at the Kootenay School of Arts (now Kootenay Studio Arts) and published two essential works to assist artists in marketing and publicizing their work.
“I’m very proud to be the recipient of the 2025 Cultural Ambassador Award,” says Lynn. “My career has unfolded from my home studio, having lived in the Nelson/Slocan Valley area for more than 40 years.”
The Cultural Ambassador honour was established by the CDC to recognize local individual artists, groups, or collectives who have achieved a high standard of excellence in their artistic discipline and who are active not only in Nelson’s cultural community but also extend their talents to other communities and countries.
The Cultural Ambassador is expected to represent and promote the City of Nelson in their travels, increasing the visibility and cultural reputation of Nelson.
2025 Sports Ambassador
Atlyn Proctor has been selected to serve as the City’s Sports Ambassador in 2025.
The Sports Ambassador designation is awarded to an individual athlete, group, team, or other contributor who has achieved a high standard of excellence in their athletic pursuits and who will represent Nelson’s sports and recreational community throughout the year.
Proctor graduated from L.V. Rogers Secondary School in the spring and went on to attend Hutchinson Community College in Kansas on a full scholarship.
She plays volleyball for the college’s Blue Dragons as a left-side hitter and was first in the conference for kills. She earned her second Team All-Star title this year and hopes for even greater achievements for her team and herself next year.
“I am honoured and humbled to be selected as Nelson’s Sports Ambassador. We have such a sports-minded and supportive community. I can’t thank you enough for this, and I am proud to receive this award.”
2024 Heritage Award Winner
The Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society has been awarded the 2024 Heritage Award, which comes with a $1,000 honorarium, for its Cottonwood Park signage project.
The society is a non-profit volunteer group that supports the sister city relationship between Nelson and Izu-shi, Japan, established in 1987.
The Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society holds seasonal cultural events and workshops to introduce Japanese Canadian culture, arranges multigenerational exchange visits, and stewards the Friendship Garden in Cottonwood Falls Park.
As part of its caretaker role, the society undertook a significant initiative to develop display signage telling the stories of Cottonwood Creek.
Over a five-year span, the society worked closely with researchers, Indigenous leaders, local historians, Nelson families, and the Museum and Archives to create the project, which was publicly launched in October. Ten signs in black steel frames, protected by tempered glass, share the stories of the wildlife, people, history, and environment of Cottonwood Creek.
“The Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society is surprised and very pleased by this unexpected honour,” says President John Armstrong. “We truly appreciate the recognition of our work and the contributions of others over the past five years. We hope the signs will inspire greater interest in the little-known parts of Nelson’s history and lead to a new awareness of the value of Cottonwood Creek and its potential for restoration as it flows through our community.”
The City’s Heritage Working Group established this award in 2015 to recognize individuals, groups, businesses, or other organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation or promotion of Nelson’s heritage.
Sustainability Leadership Awards
Three Sustainability Leadership Awards were handed out this year, recognizing individuals or organizations who contribute to the five pillars of sustainability set out in the City’s Path to 2040 Sustainability Plan.
The pillars are cultural strength, healthy neighbourhoods, robust ecosystems, prosperity, and resiliency.
- L.V. Rogers Secondary School Green Team
The Green Team is a non-credit school club at L.V. Rogers Secondary School. Its main goal is to increase the school’s sustainability and eco-friendliness while providing an outlet for environmentally conscious students.
The club has about 25 members who meet weekly to discuss initiatives and ecological matters. Over the past three years, the club has undertaken the following initiatives:
- Monitored the efficiency of the solar panels on the school roof
- Ran weekly recycling drives to collect items such as pop cans, paper, and cardboard
- Educated students on proper recycling practices
- Hosted Climate Action Summits and Symposiums with invited speakers and guests
- Fundraised and implemented a 100% bear-friendly garbage system in collaboration with the Ursa Project
- Fundraised for and supported a 100% Green School in Malawi, Africa
- Created the Green Team Courtyard Garden
The team plans to use its $1,150 honorarium to support additional initiatives that help L.V. Rogers become the greenest school possible.
2. Brett Adams
The second Sustainability Leadership Award was given to Brett Adams.
Adams has over 20 years of coaching experience and 12 years of dedicated service as the Technical Director of the Nelson Soccer Association.
Under his leadership, the association achieved an unprecedented feat this past July by coaching three teams to medal victories at the BC Soccer B Cup Provincials. The U15 girls and U17 girls both earned gold, while the U15 boys brought home silver.
In addition, the Nelson Soccer Association received the prestigious Fair Play Award, reflecting the exemplary sportsmanship and character Brett instills in his players.
3. Nelson & District Credit Union
The final Sustainability Leadership Award was presented to the Nelson & District Credit Union.
The Credit Union supports local communities through its community investment program, providing funding assistance and sponsorships in education, community development, social responsibility, wellness, recreation, arts, culture, and heritage.
It offers programs to support elementary and secondary schools, with the aim of benefiting as many students as possible over time.
The Credit Union also recognizes students with scholarships for academic, volunteer, and community achievements.
Over the past 24 years, the Credit Union has contributed more than $4 million to local communities through its generosity.
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