We are pleased to announce that Coquitlam’s Anna Tremere is a recipient of an Award of Merit. The award was presented at the Federation’s annual conference awards night in Nakusp, BC on May 26, 2018.
In 1993 Anna Tremere established and assumed the role of President of the Riverview Hospital Historical Society after working as a psychiatric nurse at Riverview Hospital for over 30 years. In 1998 the Society under Anna’s leadership established a museum on the hospital site and welcomed the public to access Riverview’s history. Thanks to Anna’s work, the museum preserved and presented the history of the hospital and preserved an incredible collection of records and artifacts relevant to daily life of the patients and staff at Riverview. When Riverview Hospital was closed in 2012, Anna worked with government partners to transfer the collections to the City of Coquitlam and to the BC Provincial Archives. Recently she worked with a team of consultants to complete a detailed inventory of the more than 950 Riverview artifacts. The City of Coquitlam who submitted the nomination commented that “without Anna Tremere’s tireless dedication and stewardship, this collection which tells the story of 100 years of mental health care would likely not exist today”.
Anna has spent many years gathering and documenting the stories of those who lived and worked at Riverview. Anna continues to pass on her knowledge and inspiring others by participating in several projects, organizations and committees including the Suitcase Project with Heidi Currie, the Riverview Lands Advisory Committee, the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society, and by serving on the Coquitlam Heritage board of directors. Heritage Coquitlam congratulates Anna on her award and are grateful for the unwavering support and guidance Anna has provided to them over her ten years with their organization.
The BCHF’s Award of Merit may be given to groups or individuals who have made a significant contribution to the study or promotion of British Columbia history. The award may be for an individual project or for an activity over time.
