August 15, 2009 10:00 AM CDT

Lafarge Gift Will Enhance Banff Centre Greening Programs and Scholarships

By Serene Jweied , Jill Sawyer

Lafarge Canada Inc. is helping to make the Bow Valley more beautiful with a generous gift to The Banff Centre that will partially go toward new greening initiatives on the Centre’s grounds. The donation will support campus greening and create three new scholarships for not-for-profit leaders.

As part of The Banff Centre’s current revitalization project, plans are underway to create Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified greening in public spaces – replanting, creating natural outdoor meeting spaces, building new pathway systems, and eliminating vehicular traffic for the centre of the campus. The project aligns with Lafarge’s interest in environmental protection, natural resource conservation, and community investment.

“Environmental protection, natural resource conservation and investment in our communities are key components of Lafarge's commitment to sustainability. As such, Lafarge strives to develop solutions that will give back to the communities that surround our sites and improve the world in which we live.” Wayne Lyons, President, Aggregates and Concrete, Lafarge Canada Inc., Western Canada

The second part of the Lafarge program will create new training scholarships for not-for-profit leaders in The Banff Centre’s Leadership Development programs. Three scholarships of $4,000 each will be available every year for three years, beginning in 2009. The scholarships will be called the Lafarge Concrete Community Leaders Scholarship, the Lafarge Aggregate Community Leaders Scholarship, and the Lafarge Construction Community Leaders Scholarship and will further strengthen the local communities in which we work.

The Banff Centre is Canada's creative leader in arts and culture. Our mission is Inspiring Creativity. In their powerful mountain setting, exceptional artists and leaders from around the world create and perform new works of art, share skills and knowledge in an interdisciplinary environment, explore ideas, and develop solutions in the arts, leadership, and the environment.

For more information on Leadership Development programs at The Banff Centre:
www.banffcentre.ca/departments/leadership/

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About the Authors

Serene Jweied is Director of Communications for Lafarge North America.

Jill Sawyer is the Media and Communications Officer for The Banff Centre.