Meritorious Service Medal

• Awarded on: November 25, 2004
• Invested on: May 30, 2005

Christopher Gaze, M.S.M., Vancouver, British Columbia
Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)

In 1990, Christopher Gaze founded Bard on the Beach, a professional summer Shakespeare Festival held on the waterfront of Vancouver’s Vanier Park. The cultural event provides residents and tourists with affordable, accessible classic theatre productions of the finest quality. Over the years, attendance at the festival has grown significantly, from 6 000 patrons in 1990 to 67 000 in 2003. Through his vision, dedication and talent, Mr. Gaze has made an outstanding contribution to the cultural life of British Columbia, and to the theatre community of our country, by making Bard on the Beach Western Canada’s largest professional Shakespeare festival.