Louise & Eric Moore Award

Louise & Eric Moore Award for Outstanding Heritage Volunteerism

Volunteers play a critical role on many fronts across our diverse and impactful heritage sector.  I was reminded of that in speaking with Louise Moore last year.  Louise’s husband, Eric, had recently passed away and bequeathed a donation to us.

Both Louise and Eric were dedicated volunteers at our past Bytown Days and Heritage Day events—warmly greeting and orienting participants and the public in French and English.

Born in the UK Lake District, Eric served on our Board from 2005-2007 and also volunteered with the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa for 25 years and with Friends of the Ottawa Public Library.

A former Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada employee, on retirement, he served as a volunteer president of the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm for 7 years, and on the CEF advisory council.  Louise too volunteered with the Friends of the Farm since their beginning.

At Heritage Day in 2020, the Capital Heritage Connexion presented the inaugural Louise & Eric Moore Award for Outstanding Heritage Volunteerism to Louise Moore.

A highlight of Heritage Day 2025 celebration was the presentation of the Louise & Eric Moore Award for Outstanding Volunteerism to David Flemming and Barb Stewart—two extraordinary champions whose dedication has enriched our heritage community.

2025 Recipient - David Flemming

David Flemming, has dedicated decades of his life to preserving the city’s cultural landscapes. As a leader with Heritage Ottawa, he has worked tirelessly to champion some of Ottawa’s most iconic heritage sites, influence municipal and provincial legislation, and advocate for the adaptive reuse of heritage spaces. He has been instrumental in ensuring Ottawa becomes the capital Canadians deserve by advocating for some the city’s most iconic spaces including the Central Experimental Farm, a National Historic Site; 24 Sussex Drive, a Classified Federal Heritage Building; the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel, National Historic Site. David has been a vocal advocate for twenty years on the future of Ottawa’s built environment and taking the initiative to create the Heritage Conservation District Working Group. In 2003, David led a core group which activated some 2,000 people and dozens of community, heritage, museum and arts groups to push back against the municipal cuts to the budget for arts and heritage. Advocacy efforts culminated in a speech by David Flemming on Heritage Day of that year that all of us remember which made City leaders take notice, resulting not only in restored funding but also a Museums Sustainability Plan and a Renewed Arts and Heritage Plan. David’s passion and leadership have left an indelible mark on Ottawa’s heritage community.

2025 Recipient - Barb Stewart

Barb Stewart is one of the longest-serving and most dedicated volunteers at the Workers’ History Museum. She has been instrumental in its success since before its founding in 2011, serving as treasurer, chairing the fundraising committee, and spearheading numerous initiatives such as the maple syrup sales. Barb is the driving force behind the museum's financial success. Each year, she works tirelessly to raise the majority of the museum’s revenue through various initiatives; from selling 50/50 tickets at Union and Labour conferences across Ontario, to organizing and coordinating sales of the museum’s annual calendar. She is also the mastermind behind the museums infamous maple syrup sales. In addition to all of that she plays a crucial role in securing funding for the museum by writing and applying for the main operating grant each year. Barb’s relentless commitment to fundraising and grant writing has ensured the museum’s financial stability, while her passion and energy inspire everyone around her.

2024 Recipient - Brian Jeffrey

Brian Jeffrey is a volunteer at the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum in Carp. If you’ve visited the Diefenbunker and taken one of its guided tours, you have Brian to thank. Brian doesn’t just give tours (he’s rated highly in visitor reviews), he literally wrote the Diefenbunker guidebook that is used to train all the Bunker’s guides. Brian has been volunteering for 28 years, and has logged 495 volunteer hours… in 2023 alone! His passion stems from his direct links with Cold War history and his own past as a DEW Line worker in northern Canada when the threat of nuclear war loomed.