A prominent civil engineer, land surveyor, and public servant, William Pearce, P.Eng., is a member who succeeded in making APEGA and Alberta history.

Later dubbed the “doyen of the association,” Pearce came to Calgary in 1884 to work in mining. He became a champion for irrigation in southern Alberta, which would transform the area’s economy. And he served on APEGA’s first two Councils, in 1920 and 1921.

In 1925, he received APEGA’s first life membership.

Civil engineer William Pearce was honoured as APEGA’s first Life Member in 1925.

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The association’s annual conference made the news in 1925, including mention that William Pearce—a man of broad vision and common sense—had been honoured by his engineering peers with a life membership.

Photo courtesy of William Pearce

William Pearce (seated, far left) takes part in an irrigation convention in Lethbridge.

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William Pearce takes in the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, the same year he received his life membership.

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