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New director gets to know Lougheed mansion's ghosts

David Bly
Calgary Herald

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Blane Hogue doesn't mind going to work on Mondays. Last week, he was named the new executive director of the Lougheed House Conservation Society.

"Instead of having to pay an entrance fee, I get to wander in here every day," said Hogue, who combines management experience in communications, marketing and fundraising with a passion for local history.

He replaces Trudy Cowan, who retired at the end of 2005.

The Lougheed House, an elegant sandstone mansion also known as Beaulieu, was built in 1891 for Senator James Lougheed, the grandfather of former premier Peter Lougheed.

Now under the shared ownership of the city and the province, the mansion on 13th Avenue S.W. is a provincial and national historic site.

The conservation society, formed in 1995, is dedicated to the restoration of the mansion, and now manages it as a public heritage site. Cowan led the restoration project until her retirement.

Hogue said Cowan has left an amazing legacy.

"I think it would be generally agreed . . . that without her, there would be no Lougheed House," he said.

"In some ways, it's a rather daunting legacy to be following, but she has laid a tremendous foundation."

He said Cowan, who is vacationing out of the country, will continue to be involved with the Lougheed House.

Ron Robertson, chairman of the society's board of directors, said Hogue is a good fit.

"He comes with a really good background in heritage kind of things and has a solid management background," said Robertson.

Hogue has been a vice-president of communication companies in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary.

He has been involved in marketing, communications, fundraising and general management in education, public broadcasting and the private sector.

He has lived in Calgary for 18 years, during which time he has been a director of development for the University of Calgary, and communications manager at the CBC for the Prairies and Northwest Territories region.

He has also been involved, professionally and personally, with local historical societies and organizations.

"I believe Calgary's history -- although in terms of many places it's a brief history -- is an incredibly rich and varied history, which we're in danger of losing sight of sometimes," said Hogue.

He said he's looking forward to learning more about the history surrounding the Lougheed House.

"I'm busy getting to know the house and the staff and the ghosts," said Hogue.

dbly@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2006