Andrew Charles Anderson, (March 28, 1909 – April 23, 1996) was a

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English, is a healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about preparation, mechanism of action, clinical usage and legislation of medications in ...

and

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 106,550 in the 2023 Alberta municipal censuses, 2023 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, Canada. Anderson was elected six times as the

mayor of Lethbridge This is a list of mayors of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. {, class=wikitable , +Mayors of Lethbridge ! ! Mayor ! Term Began ! Term Ended , - , 1, , Charles Alexander Magrath, Charles A. Magrath , , 1891 , , 1891 , - , 2, , Harry H. Bentley, H ...

, serving from 1968 to 1986. Anderson's 18 years in office made him the longest tenured mayor in the history of the city.

Biography

Early years

He was born in Shabbona, Illinois. Anderson moved with his family to Champion, Alberta from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

in 1912. He graduated from the

University of Alberta The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...

in 1934 with a pharmaceutical chemist degree. After working for a Lethbridge pharmacy for 14 years, he opened his own business, Anderson's Medical Dental Pharmacy, in 1948. Anderson was married and the father of a son and a daughter.

Political career

Andy Anderson was first elected to the Lethbridge School Board in 1950, remaining in that post through a number of re-elections until 1964."A.C. "Andy" Anderson: Special Award,"
Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame, www.lethbridgesportshalloffame.ca/ Retrieved October 24, 2011. In 1964, Anderson won election to the

Lethbridge City Council The Lethbridge City Council is the legislative governing body that represents the citizens of Lethbridge, Alberta. The council is composed of the mayor and eight councillors. The mayor is the city's chief elected official and the city manager is ...

, for which he served until 1968. Anderson was active in the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and was the president of that organization from 1962 to 1963. In 1968, Anderson was elected to the first of six consecutive terms as mayor of

."It's an Honor: Andrew Charles Anderson, C.M., Phm.C., LL.D.,"
Governor General of Canada, www.gg.ca/ As a mayor, Anderson's role was pivotal in making the city what it is today. During his term, he oversaw the development of

West Lethbridge West Lethbridge (or The Westside), is one of List of neighbourhoods in Lethbridge, three geographical areas in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. It is the newest and the fastest growing. It is the home of the University of Lethbridge and is a residenti ...

, the birth of University of Lethbridge, the relocation of the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

railyards

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

, the creation of Crowsnest corridor, and the Urban Parks Project. Under Anderson's administration Lethbridge invested heavily in sports and recreation facilities, which gave the city the opportunity to emerge as the " Little League Capital of Canada." Anderson was also instrumental in helping to bring the 1975 Canadian Winter Games to Lethbridge and holding a successful event before the eyes of the nation. When the University of Lethbridge built the $5.8 million Anderson Hall in 2000, they chose to name it after Anderson because of his significant role in the development of the university. He played a significant role in the selection of the university's current location, and he served on both the University Senate and the Board of Governors.

Awards and honors

In 1963, Andy Anderson was awarded the first annual Bowl of Hygeia by the Alberta College of Pharmacists. The award is given to one of the province's pharmacists in recognition of an outstanding record of community service. Anderson received the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

on 30 October 1985.

Death and legacy

Andy Anderson died 23 April 1996, aged 87. Anderson Hall, a building on the campus of the

University of Lethbridge The University of Lethbridge (also known as uLethbridge, uLeth, and U of L) is a public comprehensive and research university located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with a second campus in Calgary, Alberta. Founded in the liberal arts traditio ...

is named in Mayor Anderson's honor."University of Lethbridge Campus,"
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB. www.uleth.ca/

Footnotes

External links

Ken Penley's Pharmacy Collection finding aid

Glenbow Museum The Glenbow Museum is an art and history local museum, regional museum in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The museum focuses on Western Canada, Western Canadian history and culture, including Indigenous perspectives. The Glenbow was establ ...

, Calgary, Alberta. —Includes biographical material on A.C. Anderson in Series 1, file M-8059-1. {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Andrew Charles Mayors of Lethbridge Members of the Order of Canada People from Vulcan County American emigrants to Canada 1909 births 1996 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Alberta