Councillor Chip Olver has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) for her 25 years of service on Banff town council.
First elected in 1994, Olver is the only member of council who has worked with every mayor the Town of Banff has had. In her 25 years, she’s served on virtually every Town committee and board, and has helped shape the community through almost all council initiatives since the town was incorporated in 1990.
“I have had the privilege of working for this community for 25 of the 29 years we’ve been incorporated as a municipality,” Olver said. “It has been some of the most rewarding work I’ve done serving this community and the residents of Banff.”
“I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the residents of Banff for the support and trust I’ve been given over the years”
Olver was presented the award by AUMA board chair and President Barry Morishita at a ceremony September 25 in Edmonton at the AUMA’s annual convention. Nominated by her council colleagues, Olver is the longest serving councillor in Banff’s history.
Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Olver first came to Banff in 1977 to stay for a summer – which turned into a winter and another summer. She then headed back to Ontario to complete a degree at McMaster University before making Banff home fulltime after accepting a position to work as a computer programmer/analyst for CMH.
“It’s very rare to have someone serve on a municipal council for more than 20 years and we’re extremely lucky to have someone like Chip at the table, who comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge about our community,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen. “Banff is fortunate to have a representative like Chip who deeply cares about our environment, sustainability, and the health and happiness of residents.”
In addition to her service on Town of Banff council, Olver has also served on the AUMA’s committee for increasing women’s participation in municipal government, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities executive committee where she represented Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.