The Calgary Stampede Foundation in Alberta, Canada, has announced a $15 million (US$14.2 million) gift from local philanthropist Don Taylor in support of a cultural heritage center on the foundation's new Youth Campus.

The gift will help fund construction of the SAM Centre — named in honor of Taylor's father — which will house the foundation's archives, the Stampede School program, and permanent galleries celebrating the Western heritage and history of southern Alberta. "It is my hope that the SAM Centre will capture Calgary's unique spirit, share the stories of local trailblazers, and celebrate the traditions of our past," said Taylor. "It is an honor to name this centre after my father, Robert Samuel Taylor, who was committed to helping build the Calgary we know and love today."

Awarded through the Taylor Family Foundation, the largest gift in the Stampede Foundation's history was made as part of a $100 million capital campaign, the public phase of which was  launched this week with the announcement that more than $89 million has been raised to date. The campaign will support the development of three community initiatives in Stampede Park — the Youth Campus, which, in addition to the Stampede School, will be home to the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts, the Calgary Stampede Showband, the Calgary Arts Academy, and other groups from across the city; Riverfront Park, a new public park along the Elbow River; and the Agriculture Discovery Zone, a space dedicated to showcasing the agricultural community in southern Alberta.

"The overarching goal of the capital campaign is to create public spaces where our community can come together and share the legacy of our great city," said Calgary Stampede Foundation board chair Ann McCaig. "Don Taylor's unprecedented donation supports the foundation's commitment to developing a community that has strong roots in Western heritage. His generosity is as deep as the Alberta sky is wide."