The Squamish Chamber of Commerce wasn't quite finished handing out the hardware after honouring the Business Person and Citizen of the Year for 2003 at its 70th Annual General Meeting and President's Banquet Saturday night (Jan. 31).
They also conferred honours on the man known as the president of the "Republic of Brackendale."Thor Froslev, founder of the Brackendale Art Gallery, became the first-ever recipient of the Chamber's Award of Distinction at the AGM.
"We are calling it the Award of Distinction with the hopes that it will become something like our version of the Order of Canada, an Order of Squamish of sorts," said Chamber secretary Patricia Heintzman, who read a warm and at-times irreverent tribute to Froslev before the presentation.
"He can't leap buildings in a single bound and he is certainly slower than the average speeding bullet. But his abilities go far beyond mere physical feats. He moves people, not mountains, but in doing so he moves mountains," Heintzman said.
Froslev's love affair with Brackendale began in the early 1970s, when he was looking for land to build his dream gallery. He bought a parcel of land on Government Road and proceeded by stages to build the gallery, theatre, tea house, chapel, workshop, artist's residence and the soon-to-rise Brackendale Eagle Monument with the help of his many friends.
In the past 30-some years, the BAG has presented more than 300 exhibits, countless concerts and plays and dozens of presentations from world-renowned artists and intellectuals.
Froslev also founded the Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival in 1986, an event that now draws thousands of travelers from across the world as well as regular international media attention.
He also spearheaded the creation of the Brackendale Eagle Reserve, which eventually became the Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park, was instrumental in resurrecting the Brackendale Farmers' Institute and organizing the annual Brackendale Fall Fair and also served on District of Squamish Council in the 1980s.
"For these invaluable contributions as well as the many not mentioned, for his visionary outlook and steadfast stubbornness, we honour Thor Froslev," said Heintzman.
Froslev was presented with a large maple burl platter created by local wood artist Martin Thorne with a plaque that reads: "The Squamish Chamber of Commerce and the community of Squamish present this Award of Distinction to Thor Froslev in recognition of his significant and enduring contribution to the social, environmental, artistic and economic tapestry of the community of Squamish (and the Republic of Brackendale)."
Taking to the podium after a rousing standing ovation from the crowd, Froslev said he was "both surprised and honoured" to receive the award - then, true to form, took advantage of the capacity crowd to promote his upcoming shows at the gallery.
