Edmonton philanthropist Barbara Poole passes away

EDMONTON – Barbara Poole, the matriarch of one of Edmonton’s most charitable families, was admitted to hospital Sunday night and passed away Monday morning.

The Poole family has contributed more to the city of Edmonton than almost any other family and they’ve always done it without much fanfare. Many say the quiet generosity of Barbara and John Poole helped build Alberta’s capital into the city it is today.

Monday afternoon, Mayor Stephen Mandel wrote, "Sad day for Edmonton, Barbara Poole has passed away," he shared on Twitter. "She made our city, province and country a better place. Thoughts and prayers to her family."

When Global News interviewed Barbara Poole for a Woman of Vision story in February 2010, she was still keeping up her daily exercise routine: 25 minutes on the stationary bike and 88 laps in the pool. She was 81-years-old then, and still in very good health.

Fitness – especially outdoor activities – was always a big part of her and her late husband John’s lives. In fact, they first met on a skiing trip to Banff in 1952.

“Well that was January, and we were engaged when I graduated in June, and we were married in August,” said Poole during the 2010 interview.

John and Barbara Poole spent decades of time - and significant financial contributions - volunteering and supporting Alberta’s social, cultural and community programs and projects.

In the early 1950s, John’s first job as a structural engineer was with the City of Edmonton Power Plant’s Pumping Station #1. It was the first in a series of projects that would help shape the city and the province.

John and his brother George ran Poole Construction – a small business started by their father – for more than three decades. They grew Poole Construction into an industry leader before selling it in 1977. It is now the construction giant PCL.
The sale of the construction business was a lucrative one for the Pooles, and they channeled that money back into the city they called home. In 1989, they donated $5 million to the Edmonton Community Foundation to support local educational programming and charities. At the time, the Foundation was inactive and without any financial support. Now, the Edmonton Community Foundation is considered a great success, with assets topping $150 million and $45 million distributed to education and various charities.

The Pooles were huge advocates of the Arts, and dedicated time, energy, and funds to the Edmonton Symphony, the Alberta Ballet, the Citadel Theatre, the Glenbow-Alberta Institute and the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award Foundation. They helped build the Winspear Centre, and launched the Art Gallery of Alberta expansion, with the second-largest private arts gift in Edmonton history.

They also contributed to educational organizations, including the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific and the Banff Centre.

Heath institutions like the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation and the Alberta Foundation for Health Research, and the environmental organizations including the Nature Conservancy of Canada, also benefited from the Pooles’ generosity.

“Barbara Poole has done so much,” said Amber Niemeier with the YWCA, when the organization named Barbara the Women of Distinction’s Lifetime Achievement award recipient in 2009.

Still, it’s difficult to compile a full list of their many contributions since they donated millions anonymously, and volunteered without much fanfare.

“I’m not interested in having my name out everywhere,” said Poole.

Despite their humble nature, the charitable work of Barbara and John did not go unrecognized.

In 2004, Barbara and John became the first couple to be jointly named to the Alberta Order of Excellence.

Both John and Barbara received Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medals and shared joint honours such as the Northern Lights Award of Distinction from the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

John passed away in 2007, but Barbara continued their charitable work, becoming an honourary chair of the Lois Hole Hospital.

While Barbara was known for being incredibly modest, others are more than willing to describe her character and the positive impact she’s had on the city.
“She’s a true philanthropist, in every sense of the word,” said Lynn Mandel in 2010. “She not only gives her money, Barbara gives of herself, gives her time, she gives her home.”

Lynn and Barbara worked together on the Lois Hole Hospital Foundation. Lynn is chair of the Hospital’s Community Outreach Committee.

“I think as Edmontonians, we owe the Poole family a great deal of gratitude for what they’ve done for this city,” she shared.

Over the years, Barbara’s focus always remained on helping others, and making her family proud.

“I want to leave my kids and my grandkids a good example,” she said, “to be helpful to other people.”