Sara Jane Gruetzner

Year of Investiture:

Ms. Sara-Jane Gruetzner graduated from the University of Guelph with a BLA in 1976. She was accepted as a member of the AALA and CSLA in 1994 and became AALA President for 1997/98. Sara represented AALA on the CSLA Board of Govenors from 1999/01, where she also chaired the CSLA Governance Committee. She served as CSLA President from 2006-2007, when CSLA went to Cuba! 

Sara has been active in numerous volunteer positions, including the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, Calgary Winterfest, Air Canada’s Dreams Take Flight and the Old Forts Trail Association. In 1995 she became the recipient of the Calgary YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Sara’s career began in 1976 with Parks Canada, Atlantic Region, in Halifax, where she worked on a variety of national historic park projects. After transferring   to Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland, she worked as a member of the Gros Morne National Park planning team. This experience defined the rest of her career and taught her the importance of planning with people, local knowledge, local resource management and the power of landscape and place.

Sara’s Alberta experience includes the planning and implementation of urban river valley park projects in 7 Alberta cities, as well as project managing the CSLA award winning Calgary Urban Park Master Plan. Following a 3 year term in Calgary’s Executive Office, Sara became the CEO of Fort Calgary in 2000. This position combines her passion for and experience with the celebration of Canada’s cultural landscapes.  Sara retired from Fort Calgary in 2016.

CSLA | AAPC 12 Forillon Crescent, Ottawa ON K2M 2W5