St Albans Civic Society  -  caring for the City

Each year St Albans Civic Society celebrates imaginative development and design initiatives which have been completed within the city in the previous year – anything from an entire housing scheme to a beautiful front door. While many of the projects considered are architectural, and can involve restoration as well as new buildings, we have also in past years given the chief award to green space refurbishment, such as in the Vintry Gardens, and, less easy to categorise, the larger-than-life-size puppets that accompany the annual St Albans Pilgrimage.

In the first half of the year, members of the Society and the general public are invited to submit suggestions for consideration by our Awards Panel. All such projects are eligible if they have been completed by the preceeding 31st December.  At a wine and canapés evening in the Maltings Arts Theatre in October the good – and sometimes not so good – projects are presented to assembled members and guests and the final winner and commendations are revealed.

For anyone interested in the changing face of St Albans, this is an event that is not to be missed.

If any such scheme, completed last year, has caught your eye (for good or ill)  - one that really affects what the city looks like - please contact :-

info@stalbanscivicsociety.net.

The St Albans Civic Society held its annual awards evening at the Abbey Theatre on October 11th, 2011. Each of the projects considered was completed in 2010. Projects reviewed included interesting developments which contributed to the life of the city.

St Paul’s Church in Blandford Road, was awarded the Society’s plaque.
The finished project has created a very attractive church surrounded by a comprehensive community resource. The St Paul’s church congregation is to be congratulated on their achievements.

Clarence Park Mews was commended, and received praise for the design and finish of the houses, and the courtyard’s origins as farm buildings was very evident.  Old and new buildings have been integrated with care and respect.

Open Door, in Bricket Road, was also commended, and congratulated for its carefully planned refurbished accommodation and on the service it provides.  Externally the building is very modest, which is its great strength. It takes a quiet but appropriate place on its street.

Details of the shortlisted projects, and the award winner, are given in the Press Release, which can be downloaded here.