Jack Burrows Place

Jack Burrows Place. . , This public gathering place is named in honour of Jack Burrows , athlete, husband, father, grandfather, businessman, Rotarian, long time public servant and North Bay Mayor from 1995 to 2003., Of Irish stock, the Burrows family arrived in North Bay to stay in 1896. In 1915 Harvey Burrows opened a Cassells Street grocery store with agricultural products and later a garden centre that was still serving the public more than a century later. , Harvey and Sadie's son Jack was born November 15th, 1931; a lifelong hockey fan, he played football, hockey and basketball for Leo Troy at North Bay Collegiate and Vocational School, curled and bowled, and in the summer played top calibre GFA softball. , After spending a year at Ryerson Polytechnical School, Jack joined the family business and when Harvey retired in 1958 took over Burrows and Son mindful of his father's dictum , "there's always a place in business for an honest man." , Manitoba born blacksmith's daughter Elaine Strachan arrived in North Bay from Port Arthur to attend Teacher's College in 1954. Jack and Elaine were married in 1956 and their 57 year union resulted in four children and 11 grandchildren. Jack often referred to Elaine as his "rock"; she was certainly his sounding board and a "great first lady". , A family man and "moral compass", Jack joined North Bay Rotary in 1970; active for 43 years and President in 1977-'78 he became involved in serious charity fundraising, something he continued to do for the rest of his life. Starting in 1976 he sat on the Hospital Board for 12 years, five as Chair, and helped Civic and St Josephs hospitals come together under a joint board and medical staff which set the stage for the new hospital that was in the offing at the time. , 1988 saw Jack make his first run at municipal politics, leading the polls to become Deputy Mayor and budget chief , a feat he duplicated in 1991., He was elected Mayor in 1994 and kept the chain of office in two more elections - holding the post from 1995 through 2003. Burrows Council meetings were famous for being open to all , anyone could speak to council , and hundreds did. Burrows himself was known for being approachable, for his empathy, honesty, sense of humour and his lack of airs and graces, "what you see is what you get". He made a concerted effort to attend as many local functions as he could. He treated his Councilors as adults, seldom, if ever, pressuring members to vote one way or the other; he was "a listener and a fixer of problems", had "an unshakably calm demeanour and willingness to compromise" and he brought "trust and dignity to the office." , His three terms as Mayor were replete with a series of major changes and challenges overcome but he is best remembered for his work on the rail lands acquisition. He wanted to complete Bruce Goulet's and Don King's Golden Mile dream and broached a land purchase idea to the CPR in 1996. The railway initially wanted 60 million dollars, but after three years of meetings and consultations between a willing buyer and a reluctant seller, in December 1999 the City and the CPR signed the legal documents that transferred 35 acres (14 hectares) of waterfront property to the City for 12 million dollars plus several million more for remediation. Despite roadblocks and criticism, Burrows soldiered on with the result that we now have a vibrant waterfront and gathering place with direct access from the City core and a healthy mixture of parkland, residential and commercial , just what was planned at the outset. , He will also be remembered for working with MP Bob Wood to keep the Department of National Defence from moving CFB North Bay to Winnipeg in the mid 90's , obtaining a 20 year life extension for an albeit reduced base which acquired important new responsibilities over the ensuing years. , The Burrows years saw an extraordinary restructuring of municipal services as a result of Federal and Provincial austerity initiatives. In 1998 the City took over the airport after the Feds threatened to close it, in return the long promised new terminal was built. The City also took over North Bay Hydro in 1997 after the Province deregulated the service; as well, ownership and responsibility for the Government Dock (now King's Landing) fell to the City, the whole social services program had to be revamped and new provincial regulations required the construction of a new water treatment plant. , To maintain services the City had to build a new central firehall and add a third floor to the police station. , During his tenure Burrows worked with Nipissing MPP, Premier Mike Harris, to ensure the completion of HWY 11 four-laning to Toronto; as well, he presided over a visit by the Queen and the city's 75th anniversary, saw the creation of the North Bay flag and the 'just north enough to be perfect' logo, the advancement of the Y' pool project, the rescue of the local ski hill, and freedom of the City for 22 Wing. , Retiring after 27 years in public life he was named the Kiwanis Citizen of the Year and continued to play an important volunteer role on several Boards including the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, and being a 22 Wing Honourary Colonel. He also created the North Bay and Area Community Foundation, which includes the Jack Burrows Fund, to support local organizations and charities, causes close to his heart. , Jack Burrows was 81 when he died April 28th, 2013. As long time friend Colin Vezina wrote in the Nugget: , "He was a prince of a man… a gentleman… a man of integrity, a man of the old values whose handshake and word were pure gold.", References - Elaine Burrows and the Burrows family and scrapbooks, Nugget files, Internet. , Sponsored by - City of North Bay Council., [photo captions] , . Waterfront Friends Community Waterfront Park Plan. , . Jack and Elaine Burrows, circa 2000. , . All Ontario Intermediate A Softball Champs 1957. Burrows top row, 4th from right. , . 2nd Baseman Burrows makes play for Brown Supply, circa mid 1950s. , . Jack Burrows. , . Burrows Store, circa 1940. , . The Chain of Office, circa 1995. , . The Big Three – Nipissing MP Bob Wood, Ontario Premier Mike Harris, Mayor Jack Burrows – Ski Hill renewal, circa 1997. , . Jack Burrows in a pensive mood. , . Waterfront Master Plan.