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John Wallis Sherwin was born in 1873 in England. He emigrated to Canada in 1905. In 1906, John married Julia C. Hammond in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
By 1921, John and Julia were settled in Edmonton with their seven children – Julia W., Joan, John D., George H., Frances M., Richard W. and Kenneth.
John W. Sherwin worked as an insurance agent, manager and later was Secretary, then President of the Edmonton Land Company until his retirement.
John was a strong advocate for the preservation of Edmonton’s history with a particular interest in York boats.
John W. Sherwin died 8 Sep 1964 and Julia C. Sherwin died 9 Feb 1979. They are buried at the Mount Pleasant Municipal Cemetery.

In January of 1962, Edmonton's Finance Committee recommended to City Council that a Centennial Committee be established to look into restoring Fort Edmonton for the Centennial. From this request grew the Edmonton Civic Centennial Council, an arms-length organization dedicated to coordinating Centennial activities in Edmonton.

The Civic Centennial Council, later called the Civic Centennial Committee, was responsible for planning Centennial festivities on behalf of the City. They provided information, promoted and coordinated activities, and made recommendations to the City on Centennial-related issues.

The Committee was managed by an executive directorate of representatives from civic government, business and industry, citizen organizations, and voluntary community groups. They reported to the City Commissioners.

The Citizens Action Centre was established in 1980 under the Public Relations Department and became an independent entity in 1982 when the Public Relations Department was dissolved and its functions split between the new Corporate Communications Department and the independent Citizens Action Centre. Around 1984 or 1985 the Citizens Action Centre became a unit under the Corporate Communications section of the City Manager's Office. This arrangement lasted until 1997, when the City '97 reorganization moved both functions to the Corporate Services Department. This relationship lasted until at least 2007. In 2008 the Citizens Action Centre was dissolved and its function absorbed by the new 311 Call Centre, operated by Corporate Services.

The Citizens Action Centre provided a place for residents to contact if they could not find the correct department to speak with, or who were unsatisfied with the response they received from City staff. It soon evolved to become the first point of contact for most citizens.

The Chief Officer of the Citizen's Action Centre was Bette Loree, who ensured that a great deal of material pertaining to events in Edmonton was transferred to the City of Edmonton Archives, including an extensive collection of posters which the Citizens Action Centre presumably received as promotional material to display at City Hall.

Although a complaints bureau had been in City Hall since 1952, it was not until 1966 that a centralized public relations function was created, with the establishment of a Public Relations Section in the Industrial Development Department.

In 1971 the Public Relations Department was established to develop community awareness, understanding, and support for the City's policies and programs. This was done through publicity programs; executive advertising programs; engaging with media; publications; promotional items; and programs for delegations, guests, cultural and educational groups, and special celebrations.

In 1982 the Department's functions were divided into the Corporate Communications Department and the Citizens Action Centre. In 1985 both organizations were placed under the Office of the City Manager. This arrangement lasted until 1997, when the City '97 reorganization moved both functions to the Corporate Services Department. This relationship lasted until at least 2007.

In 2008 the Citizens Action Centre was dissolved and its function absorbed by the new 311 Call Centre, operated by Corporate Services.

The XI Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton from August 3-12, 1978. Almost 2,000 athletes and officials from 46 countries, as well as a large number of tourists, gathered in Edmonton to enjoy "the friendly games". The event was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in front of 43,000 spectators in Edmonton's new Commonwealth Stadium. The athletic events and associated cultural activities focused world-wide attention on the city of Edmonton and provided an enormous boost to the local economy. As well as Commonwealth Stadium, other facilities were constructed especially for the games, including the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre, the Strathcona Shooting Range, and the Coronation Park Lawn Bowling Greens.

The idea of bidding to host the Commonwealth Games began as early as 1970 and involved close cooperation between three different levels of government. The Government of Canada contributed $12 million, as well as various services. The Provincial Government and the City of Edmonton each contributed $11.6 million towards the cost of the event. At a more local level the organization of the games required a strong working relationship between the City of Edmonton, especially the Parks and Recreation Department, the XI Commonwealth Games Canada (1978) Foundation, and the University of Alberta.

While the Parks and Recreation Department oversaw the design and construction of facilities the Foundation was charged with the administration of the games. Although there was considerable overlap in areas of responsibility, the Foundation and its volunteer staff undertook a huge amount of work. Dr. Maury Van Vliet, the Dean of Physical Education at the University of Alberta, became President of the Foundation in 1975. Together with a board of directors and fifteen division chairmen, Dr. Van Vliet presided over an organization which at its peak included 10,000 volunteers.

The Department for the Inspection of Buildings was established in 1909 by Bylaw 207. Prior to this the City employed a Building and Fire Inspector and a Plumbing Inspector, but they did not operate independently, and were likely part of the Engineer’s Department.

The Department for the Inspection of Buildings was responsible for the enforcement of building codes; providing building permits; the survey and inspection of buildings, scaffolding, and building sites; recording complaints made to the office; and the protection of buildings against fires and accident.

When it was established in 1909 the Department for the Inspection of Buildings was led the Inspector of Buildings. This position led the department until 1926, when building inspector Norman A. McIvor died while in office and was replaced by John Martland. Martland had been employed as the architect with the Engineer’s Department. In accepting the new position he was expected to continue his previous duties as well as fulfill those of the building inspector. It was at this time that the department became the Architect’s and Building Inspector’s Department, and the head became the City Architect and Building Inspector.

As of 1931, this department was responsible for providing plumbing permits, gas permits, moving permits, curb pump permits, and sign permits in addition to building permits. The department was also responsible for janitorial work at City buildings, and operation of the elevator at Civic Block.

By the 1950s the department’s responsibilities had grown. In 1952 the mandate of the Architect’s and Building Inspector’s Department was to provide architectural services for City buildings, approve building plans and issue permits, issue overhead sign permits, conduct inspections on construction to ensure City building code was being followed, conduct exams for trades certificates (but not for electricians), make recommendations concerning construction bylaws, the maintenance of civic buildings (except utilities and engineering departments) and provide mail service to City offices.

In 1957 the department took over responsibility for construction of all new City buildings. The department also worked with the Architectural Panel (established in 1950) to approve the construction of certain buildings.

By 1959 the internal structure had been simplified to only four sections: Accounting; Building Maintenance (which included a mail and security section); the Assistant City Architect; and an Inspection Division for building plans, construction, plumbing and heating.

By 1965, the department was headed by the City Architect and divided into three divisions: Architectural Design, Building Inspection, and Building Maintenance. The Architectural Design Division provided architectural services and advice to civic departments on construction projects. The Building Inspection Division inspected and controlled the construction of buildings and structures erected within city limits. The Building Maintenance Division provided and maintained working facilities for City staff in various City-owned buildings. This division also supervised janitorial staff, maintenance and carried out building alterations.

The Architect’s and Building Inspector’s Department was dissolved in 1970. The successors to the Architect’s and Building Inspector’s Department were the Planning Department (Building Inspection Branch) and the Property and Building Management Department (Architecture Branch, Maintenance, and Edmonton Community Housing Organization).

Chris Bruun was born 9 Aug 1929 in Finland. He emigrated to Canada with his brother arriving in Montreal on 1 Jul 1951. He worked as a construction labourer in Northern Quebec before moving west to Edmonton in 1952.
He was staying at Immigration Hall when he noticed a job opportunity at the Eldorado Mining Company in Port Radium at Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories. He took up photography when he discovered the mining company had a darkroom in their recreational facilities.
Mr. Bruun is a self-taught photographer learning from books, trial and error and conversations with the owner of McBain Camera in Edmonton. His first camera was a Rolleicord followed later by a Hasselblad 1000F.
In 1955 he gained darkroom experience working with well-known photographer Bob Cantelon with whom he became great friends. Eventually Mr. Bruun embarked on his own professional photographic career specializing in commercial and advertising photography. He worked for firms such as Imperial Oil, Syncrude and Travel Alberta. He also provided images for film-maker Albert Karvonen who became a good friend.
Since his retirement Mr. Bruun has turned his camera on various subjects of interest to him. Moving into the digital world has allowed him to continue in the creation and processing of the photographs and experimenting with various techniques.
Chris Bruun began donating photographic prints to the City of Edmonton Archives in 1995 and continues to add to the collection in print and digital formats. He continues to be a prolific photographer in his retirement, often photographing skylines from the balcony of his 14th floor apartment in the Oliver area.

Eric Ramsey Crouch was born 25 Nov 1901 to William and Susan Crouch in Horncliffe, Kent, England. He came to Canada with his brother Ralph in 1916. He settled first in Lethbridge, where by 1921 he was living in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) barracks training as a Constable. In 1925 Eric Crouch married Isabell H. Lawson in Lethbridge.
Eric and Isabell moved to Edmonton where Eric served many years with the R.C.M.P. A favourite hobby of Eric’s was photography. Eric retired from the R.C.M.P. in 1966 after 34 years in the force. Eric and Isabell retired to Vancouver, B.C.
Eric Ramsey Crouch died 1 Nov 1970 in Vancouver and is buried at the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.

Rita H. Efner was born in 1901 in the United States. By 1916, she and her sister Elsie were living with their aunt and uncle, Alfred and Bessie Rehwinkel in Edmonton. Rita trained as a nurse at the General Hospital in Edmonton and graduated in 1922.
Walter Raymond Stewart was born 29 Jul 1890 to Sarah Little and William C. Stewart in Garden Hill, Ontario. Walter graduated from pharmacy at the University of Alberta in 1921. He married Jessie ? and worked in the Strathcona Military Hospital. Jessie Stewart died in 1922 and is buried in the Edmonton Municipal Cemetery.
In 1925 Walter Stewart married Rita H. Efner in Edmonton.
Walter worked at various drug stores including the Corner Drug store in the 1950’s. Following Walter’s retirement in the mid-1960s, Walter and Rita moved to Victoria, B.C.
Walter Raymond Stewart died 28 Jun 1970 in Victoria, B.C. A death date for Rita Efner Stewart cannot be found.

The Land Department was created in 1921 to take care of property acquired by the City through the Tax Recovery Act, whereby the non-payment of taxes would lead to the forfeiture of one's property to the municipality (prior to 1921 this function was undertake by the Assessor's Department). Due to massive land speculation prior to the dramatic recession of 1913, there were many such lots. In 1931 the City held the titles of approximately 50,000 lots, mainly in the outer zone, however the City only owned around 300 buildings. The lots and buildings were in some cases rented out, and at the time the City had a total of 1,015 tenants.

The duties of the department included negotiating sales, attending to enquires at the service counter, renting land for cultivation purposes, billing for and collecting rents, issuing notices for transfers, all the work necessary in keeping buildings in good repair, and all the different transactions relative to a real estate business.

In 1952 the department was responsible for records of city owned property; purchase, exchange, sale or expropriation of property for the City as directed; and selection of tenants, collection of rents and maintenance of City owned rented property.

In 1957 the Land Department was dissolved to create the Land and Industrial Development Department, which lasted until 1959 when the responsibilities were divided once more. The Land Department was re-established and combined with the Market and Emergency Housing Bureau, making the department responsible for operation of City Market, weigh scales and comfort stations, and the provision of emergency housing.

There were minor changes to the departmental structure every few years in the 1960s. In 1962 an Accounting section was added to the existing sections of Replot and Negotiations, Office and Sales, and City Properties. In 1964 the City Properties section was renamed the Rental and Property Management section, and by 1968, though their functions remained largely the same, all of the sections had been renamed: Negotiations Division, Land Sales and Office Division, and Rental and Property Management Division.