Richer was meant to be surprised with the award Wednesday, but former Mountainlands Executive Director Scott Loomis said the cat got out of the bag a few weeks before the awards ceremony.
“I'd first like to start out by thanking those half a dozen people who aren't here," Loomis said. "They're the ones that called Bob and said they couldn't make it to his surprise party.”
Loomis said the award recognizes Richer’s 15 years with Mountainlands and around 40 years of work to bring affordable housing to the Wasatch Back.
Loomis said Richer stepped up when Mountainlands needed help with the transition from executive directors.
“Bob stepped up like the volunteer president of a board of trustees should never have to do, and put an unbelievable amount of his time and commitment and trying to learn what was happening on a day-to-day basis, keep the ship afloat,” he said.
Richer was a promoter of affordable housing long before he joined Mountainlands, Loomis said. He advocated for lower and middle-income housing as a Summit County Commissioner in the 2000s and a Park City Council member in the 1990s.
Richer said he still knows how important affordable housing is for the area.
“It's still so very important that people feel when they're in Park City, that it's a true community. And in order to be a true community, you have to be a diverse community, and you have to also have an opportunity,” he said.
Richer said he often thinks of himself when he moved to Park City at 26 years old. He rented a brand new, one-bedroom Red Pine Condominium and said a friend rented a place in Old Town for $100 a month. Richer said many who have lived in the area since the 70s and 80s have similar stories.
He wants similar opportunities for younger people, so they are able to join the community.
“We need to be a real community with real people who could step up, serve in our elected offices, and really care about this place and feel it in their heart,” Richer said.
It’s important affordable housing remains part of the community discussion, he said, because if we stop caring about it, Park City won’t be a community anymore.
Richer said it was a great honor to receive the Bob Wells Award, especially because he worked personally for many years with Wells. The award was presented to him by Wells’ wife, Patti.
Richer is a former KPCW board chair and has been involved with the Park City Rotary Club, the Park City Community Foundation and the Project for Deeper Understanding. He was previously honored with both the Community Leadership Award and the Park City Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Hospitality Award for his dedication to the community.
The Bob Wells Award was established 20 years ago in honor of its namesake. Wells, who died in 2016, was the first award recipient for his work in establishing the Mountainlands housing trust in the 1990s.