Malcolm Sissons (Government of Alberta photo)

By Charles Lefebvre

Alberta Order of Excellence

Sissons ‘humbled’ by Alberta Order of Excellence

Oct 18, 2019 | 3:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat’s Malcolm Sissons received the province’s highest honour in Edmonton on Thursday.

Sissons was one of eight Albertans to receive the Alberta Order of Excellence during a special ceremony at Government House.

“Obviously, it’s a great honour to be included in this group of people, they’re very accomplished,” he said. “I look at the different skills and accomplishments they bring to this ceremony tonight, and I must admit I’m a little bit humbled.”

Sissons was recognized for his volunteerism in Medicine Hat, and his work to help preserve local history. He is on the Heritage Resources Committee and is a member of the local Historical Society.

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His great-grandfather James Hargrave, along with his grandfather Herb Sissons, co-founded the Redcliff Pressed Brick Company, which later became known as I-XL Limited. The company ran for 98 years before closing in 2010.

For Sissons, it’s important to ensure the history of Medicine Hat remains accessible and available for future generations.

“You lose a building, you lose the story of the people that lived in the building, and pretty soon, that little piece of your history is erased,” he said. “By preserving the buildings and artifacts of the city’s history, we keep that history alive.”

Sissons’ current focus is completing a heritage park at the site of the former I-XL Brick Plant in Redcliff. Several kilns and machinery from the factory remain on the land, and during the summer, a mural by James Marshall (who received the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2013) was added on the site.

“We’ll put up some interpretive signage, and open it up for the public hopefully soon,” he said.

The most recent Medicine Hat resident to be recognized with the Alberta Order of Excellence was Bill Yuill in 2016.

In addition to Sissons, Robert Burrell (Sherwood Park), Bonnie DuPont (Calgary), Katie Ohe (Springbank) , Ron Sakamoto (Lethbridge), Beckie Scott (Canmore), Muriel Stanley Venne (Edmonton) and Frances Wright (Calgary) were honoured this year. Full biographies can be found here.

A total of 181 people have been invested in the order since it was created in 1979.