The Christina Lake Arts and Artisans Society (CLAAS) has been nominated as the “Most Innovative Organization” for the KAST Spirit of Innovation Awards.
KAST (Kootenay Association for Science and Technology) is a non-profit organization that represents local interests among businesses, industry, government and education.
Bob Dupee, president of the Christina Lake Arts and Artisans Society, noted that they were approached by KAST to submit a nomination.
“This is the first time we’ve been nominated,” he said. “We did get the Innovative Community Organization Award from Community Futures Boundary a few years ago.”
CLAAS was formed in 2006 and was set up to promote visual and performance arts around Christina Lake. One of the goals of the society was to create an arts cultural centre in the area.
“The creation of the Christina Living Arts Centre involved a huge amount of innovation, mainly from the environmental side of things,” explained Dupee. “The technology that went into all of the things that made it into a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard building, such as the incorporation of a green roof, addition of the solar aquatics system for processing the waste water, and the innovation behind the solar water heating.”
The efficient building was a milestone for the society, as it helped showcase environmental technology and educate local contractors on how to construct a green building.
“We wanted to also create a centre for the community that would really promote the community not only to tourists and visitors but to locals as well, and to give them a place for meeting and eating and greeting and performances,” said Dupee. “We’re really excited to have made the final four because there is some pretty stiff competition out there. Our area is certainly renowned for a lot of innovation and individuality as far as the things that are coming out of the Kootenays.”
Other categories that businesses can be awarded too include the Most Innovative Company, Most Innovative Individual and Most Promising Start-up. Another local company, Grand Forks’ Environment Depot for Wastewater to Energy Ltd., has been nominated as Most Promising Start-up.
The Spirit of Innovation Awards Gala occurs once every four years and honours local businesses, organizations and individuals in the West Kootenay-Boundary region. This year’s event features a keynote address by Tod Maffin, “The Myth of Multitasking.”
The gala will take place on Oct. 25 at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson. For more information, visit www.kast.com.
