Big John raises $60,000 for local youth

More than 600 people came together last night to pay tribute to Mayor John Rowswell.

Don Mitchell, a long-time friend to the late mayor, talked about taking his hat off to the man with the big shoes.

Mitchell is second from the left in this SooToday.com photo of a group of Mayor John's close friends and advisers - referred to in last night's tribute video as "the cronies."

Also shown are (left to right) Randy Tallon, Damon Godfrey, Jo-Anne Brideaux, Ted Brooks, Jim McAuley and Wayne Prouse.

During the video one of the mayor's shoes was used as a prop.

It was, indeed, very large.

Each of the cronies held the shoe and talked about why he thought it would be hard to fill John Rowswell's shoes.

They and many others remembered Mayor John for his genuine and effective efforts to make his beloved community a better place for everyone.

The best part of last night's celebration, Mitchell said, is that Rowswell got to enjoy it in comfort.

Mitchell felt Mayor John was there in spirit, and in a state finally free of the suffering he's endured in recent months.

"After a long and courageous battle with cancer," was a phrase both in his obituary and also on the lips of many last night.

"We had thought he would hold on for another few days. He really wanted to and he tried hard," said Mitchell. "But he wouldn't have been able to attend this and enjoy it in comfort."

So at the end of his life John did what he did so often in his political life.

The unexpected.

Everyone knew he was going to go sometime soon.

Just like everyone knew he was going to build us a new hospital, a sports and recreation centre, truck route, distribution centre, and many other infrastructure projects.

All these things went ahead.

But Mayor John had a way of putting his own spin on how and when things happened.

Whether as a leader or a relentless promoter/ supporter, Mayor John had a hand in bringing billions of dollars worth of infrastructure and program investments to Sault Ste. Marie since he was first elected in 2000.

His vision for this community was a thriving, positive place, prosperous, safe, comfortable, green place filled with interesting things to do and see.

Rowswell saw Sault Ste. Marie as a dynamic trade and commercial centre, a multi-modal transportation hub for the intake, reloading and distribution of goods by air, water, rail and road.

He also envisioned a place with a diversified economy as a centre for technology, ‘smart jobs’ tourism and industry.

One of the sectors he was quick to add to his list of projects to promote for Sault Ste. Marie was green energy.

“During Mayor John’s tenure... he had a vision of Sault Ste. Marie as being the green community of Northern Ontario if not Canada,” said Randy Tallon, another of John’s close friends and professional associates.

“Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation received Mayor John’s support and carried out this cause which ultimately led to branding of the City of Sault Ste. Marie as the alternative energy capital of North America," Tallon said. "To this date, no other city in North America has been able to challenge the branding."

Rowswell had more than a little to do with the fact that Sault Ste. Marie now boasts a large wind farm, two solar farms with at least one more under development, a solar panel manufacturer and an industrial co-generation facility at Essar Steel Algoma.

A burgeoning biodiesel and fibre crop industry has also taken root in the Sault.

Elementa Group plans to convert Sault Ste. Marie’s municipal garbage into clean energy using a patented steam reformation process and Ellsin Environmental will be using technology from Environmental Waste International’s reverse polymerization to ‘unbake’ old tires, generating electricity and reclaim materials.

“The City of Sault Ste. Marie will actively collect methane gas from its landfill site by December 2010,” said Tallon. “The local PUC proposes to then use the gas to generate about 1.6 megawatts of electricity.”

All this happened with considerable help from Big John, as many have come to call the late mayor.

“Mayor Rowswell always stood taller than most, not only in his stature, but as he continually promoted and shared his global vision with tenacity, determination, commitment and relentless passion towards both improving economic growth and family life in Sault Ste Marie and Northern Ontario,” Tallon said. “Whether he met with federal or provincial ministers, ambassadors or senior diplomats from around the world, other Northern Ontario mayors, staff or the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie, Mayor John represented Sault Ste. Marie with great pride. Having the compassion to listen to the needs of others and the courage to make the tough decisions, he was a true leader who by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent, he shared experiences, ensured a bright future, and leaves a legacy of successes. It was truly a pleasure to work with Mayor John and I am honoured to call Mayor John my friend."

The video presentation also outlined Mayor John’s efforts to take advantage of Sault Ste. Marie's geographic location on the Great Lakes, at the hub of two major rail lines.

He envisioned the Sault as a multi-modal hub with reload and distribution centres that would unload shipping containers brought by rail, then repacked and distributed by rail, truck and ship to other areas both in the United States and Canada.

The first steps toward that goal have been taken with the construction and opening of the Purvis Reload Centre, tentative securing of the HCR line between the Sault and Sudbury, the improvements on Highway 17, and the beginning of work developing a deep water port to serve Tenaris Algoma Tubes, Essar Steel Algoma and a future reload centre.

Of course some of Mayor John’s visions will may never be realized.

He just couldn’t seem to get the idea of a transpolar air cargo route between Russia and Sault Ste. Marie to fly.

And then there was his idea of an underwater viewing area for the locks.

“We had to tell him that the deep-water port comes first before the viewing area,” said Mitchell.

“He actually did listen to some of our ideas and suggestions, too,” Mitchell said, slyly adding “once in a while.”

Rowswell was praised for his relentlessness and several people in the video told stories of travelling in faraway places like Russia and China, hearing that people there had both encountered and been impressed with our mayor’s tenacity.

Many of his visions have been made real.

More will be realized because of another trait Mayor John was praised for, his ability to build and work with a capable team.

There is no way that one single individual could fill his shoes but the people he inspired with his example said last night that they will continue to work toward realizing more of his visions.

Together, they plan to continue down the road to prosperity and quality of life he saw for his beloved community by completing projects such as the new hospital, the Algoma Public Health building and expansions to Algoma University and Sault College.

The funds raised from last night’s dinner will go to support local youth.

It is estimated that more than $60,000 was raised.