The nomination period is officially open for the 47th Annual Civic & Community Awards in Kelowna. The annual awards recognize outstanding Kelowna residents, athletes, artists, organizations and businesses who positively contribute to the city.  

“There have been many amazing contributions to our community this past year and we look forward to celebrating the people and organizations who stepped up in 2021 to make our community a better place,” says Jim Gabriel, Divisional director, Active Living and Culture.  

Civic Award nomination categories include: 

  • Sarah Donalda Treadgold & Fred Macklin Memorial Award – Citizen of the Year 
  • Champion for the Environment 
  • Corporate Community of the Year 
  • Honour in the Arts 
  • Teen Honour in the Arts 
  • Young Citizen of the Year 
  • Bob Giordano Memorial Award – Volunteer Coach or Sport Administrator of the Year 
  • Bryan Couling Memorial Award – Athletic Team of the Year 
  • Male & Female Athlete of the Year 
  • Central Okanagan Foundation – Volunteer Organization of the Year 

Due to the shortened competitive sport seasons in 2020 and 2021, any sport-based nominations that came in last year still have the opportunity to be recognized through this year’s awards program.” 

Nominations are due Friday, February 11, 2022. Nomination forms, award criteria, and past recipients can be found at kelowna.ca/civicawards.  

2020 Community Awards

Trends Magazine sends a shout out to these amazing small business and citizens in Kelowna, recognized by the City of Kelowna’s Civic and Community Awards. Congratulations to all who showed spirit, resiliency, and excellence in 2020.


The 46th annual Civic & Community Award winners are:

The Young Citizen of the Year Award finalists and recipient will all receive funding towards their post-secondary education. The Payton and Dillon Budd Memorial Fund Youth Scholarship awards $2,000 to the award winner and $1,000 to each of the finalists.

The recipient of the Teen Honour in the Arts Award will receive an entrance scholarship to the UBCO Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. 

Nominations were not accepted in 2020 in the Male and Female Athlete of the Year, High School Athletes of the Year and Athletic Team of the Year categories due to the impact of COVID-19 on team and competitive sport seasons. Any nominees submitted in these categories in 2020 will be carried over to the 2021 awards program and combined with nominations from this year. 

Residents can submit nominations for the 2021 Civic & Community Awards starting this fall.

For more on the Civic & Community Awards and the recipients, visit kelowna.ca/civicawards.