Philanthropist helped establish Citadel Theatre

Edmonton philanthropist Sandy Mactaggart, who was known for his intrepid spirit, died Monday at his Scotland home. He was 89.

“He had this remarkable sense of adventure and discovery which brought him to Alberta,” said family friend Marc de La Bruyere, whose father was Mactaggart’s longtime business partner. “Firstly, he was a lot of fun, this was a guy who had the first hot air ballooning licence in Canada.”

Mactaggart, a Scottish-born entrepreneur, was evacuated to Canada during the Second World War at age 11. He earned a Harvard education before moving to Edmonton in 1952. Along with Jean de La Bruyere, he co-founded the property development company Maclab Enterprises Ltd.

“He was a superb real estate developer,” said Marc de La Bruyere, 57. “He was very thoughtful, considerate and aware that ... you’ve got to take very good care of your residents.”

Mactaggart and his wife of 58 years, Cecile Erickson, were generous philanthropists who left their mark on Edmonton, said Marc de La Bruyere. They helped establish the Citadel Theatre and served on the founding boards for the Edmonton Art Gallery and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Alberta, among other initiatives.

Mactaggart remained a loyal supporter of the University of Alberta, where he served as chancellor from 1990 to 1994, donating tens of millions of dollars to the school over the years.

He was an enthusiastic collector of Chinese imperial art, giving a $37-million collection to the university in 2005. In 2010, the Mactaggarts donated their $23-million Ramsay Heights estate to the institution, before moving to the Bahamas for health reasons.

Mactaggart’s hobbies included car racing, sailing and flying, which he continued to do as a co-pilot until the age of 85, said de La Bruyere.

“Sandy was known for his kindness. He believed you should give back something to the community,” said Greg Greenough, 87, who retired after a decades-long career at Maclab Enterprises.

“He certainly believed your word was your bond,” Greenough added.

Mactaggart was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1997 and to the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1998.

“He was a mentor to all of us,” Greenough said.