Andrew Davison

Andrew Davison (December 18, 1886 – April 6, 1963) was a Canadian politician, printer and 24th Mayor of Calgary. He served as alderman from 1922 to 1926 and mayor from 1929 to 1945 - his 15 year term as mayor is the longest in the city's history. He also served as a member of the Alberta Legislature 1940 to 1948.

Early life Andrew Davison was born on December 18, 1886, in Moneymore, County Londonderry, Ireland to Andrew Davison and Clara Williamson. He arrived in Alberta in 1895 and received his education in both Edmonton and Calgary, and attended Business College in Winnipeg. He married Effie Huggins on December 3, 1912. He served as Pay Master of the Second Battalion, Calgary Highlanders, with the rank of captain, during the Second World War.

Political career Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother is escorted down the stairs of Calgary City Hall by Mayor Andrew Davison. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King is following behind King George VI Andrew Davison was first elected to Calgary City Council in the 1921 Calgary municipal election as a Labour candidate, his election occurred while he was working at the Calgary Herald as a printer. He served four terms as Alderman from 1922 to 1926.

Then in 1929 he was acclaimed as mayor of Calgary on November 12, 1929. He was re-elected Mayor another seven times, serving a total of sixteen years as the City's Chief Magistrate, a record unequalled before or since.

During Davison's term as mayor, the ambitious and controversial Glenmore Dam waterworks system was completed. The Glenmore Dam and other capital projects placed the City of Calgary heavily into debt, and in 1937 Davison along with Jules Fortain and former mayor Frederick Ernest Osborne proposed the "Fortain Plan" which consolidated the municipality's debt, and shifted the financial burden to future years. This financial adjustment enabled Calgary to afford upgrades to power and transportation services.

Following his resignation from the Alberta Legislature, Davison retired to Vancouver, where he died several years later on April 6, 1963, at the age of 76.

Honours The Andrew Davison Building, a 13-floor building at 133 6 Avenue SE and the former home of the Calgary Police Service headquarters, is named in his honour. There is also a Calgary Board of Education school named after him: Andrew Davison School.