Page 23 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 141

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue 141 October 2024 23

Continued from page 22 given a hard time over it as well. There were ash
Syd refereed for several years with Level 2 trays in all the restaurants and businesses in those
accreditation as a referee. “At that time, we were days. We had the tin ones in Sears with sand in the
all volunteers, but the younger guys coming up bottom.”
wanted to be paid and didn’t want to officiate At the same time, Syd was a member of the
weekend games. Us older guys would do all the fundraising committee to build the new Aquatic
weekend games, but eventually we had enough, Center, which many felt wasn’t needed. “People DUSTIN GARLOW
613-363-3304
telling the leagues that if we had to work weekends, would come into Sears and question me on the need garlowdustin@gmail.com
they could pay us as well. I put any money that for an aquatic center. We were the third committee
I received towards paying for my accreditation to attempt this, we raised $1.2 M, then went to the Residential Roofing Specialist
courses. That’s how officiating hockey locally province, and to the Feds for their share. In the
went from a volunteer position to becoming a paid end, it cost $8.5M and we came in on budget.” We had some Micheal Bublé, some Sinatra, things
one.” Another project, the Cornwall Curling Club, was that I had never done before, so the challenge was
Syd eventually accepted a position as Operations soon added. It was old and needed to be replaced. there.” Syd has also sung at the Dragon Boat races
Manager with MCA Records at their Warehousing, “They asked for the City’s support, and Dennis for breast cancer survivors.
Distribution, and Sales Center in Calgary, servicing Carr (fellow councilor) and I had to convince the Having experience from being involved with so
all western Canada. While in Calgary, Syd rest of the council that this was a going concern. many boards, committees, groups, and teams, Syd
coached a pee-wee travelling team, taking them to As a result of getting the City’s support, we now says that he has learned a lot and continues to learn
the league semi-finals. After spending two and a have international curlers that come to Cornwall. every day. “I have gained a lot of knowledge and
half years in Calgary, the Gardiner family was off The Shorty Jenkins is held here, and we now have insight from the things that I’ve been involved in,
to Montreal wear Syd took on a similar position curlers from all over the world coming in.” and one day I wondered how I was I ever going
with Capitol Records EMI, overseeing the Eastern During his time on City Council, Syd has served to remember it all. A friend suggested that I write
Canada operations. Three years later, it was back on many boards including Chair of the Eastern a book, so I got started. When I had four pages
to Cornwall with Syd spending the next twenty- Ontario Health Unit, Emergency Management, finished, I had my wife read it over to get her
seven years at Sears in the Cornwall Square. Cornwall Regional Airport, Cornwall Public opinion. She read it, handed it back to me, and told
Syd’s youngest son, Christopher, was a member Library, and the Tourism Bureau. For many years, me to stop writing and to stick to singing.”
of the Cornwall Sea Lions swim team during he has been Vice President and then President of Sports continue to play a role in Syd’s life. “As I
the late 1980’s. “They were competing all over the Aultsville Theatre. Still involved in music, Syd age, I stay active to keep in shape. I swim laps in my
the area,” Syd stated. “Hawkesbury, Nepean, performs at the annual Cornwall and Area Arts pool, play golf, curl, bowl, and lift weights three
Toronto…anywhere a meet was being held.” Hall of Fame dinner. “I love a challenge, and I to four days per week. My family has supported
Sheila Dow, who was manager of the Sea got a call from a group asking if they could play me 100% in every activity that I’ve been involved
Lions became ill and Syd was asked if he would with me at the dinner. I sing rock and roll, and had in, and I thank them for that. Also there have been
assume her responsibilities until she recovered and never played with three violins, a keyboard, and hundreds of character volunteers who have made
was able to return to the position. Syd managed a guitar. We got together for a practice and by the it possible for me to be successful in all that I have
the Sea Lions until February of 1989, when the time we finished we had come up with nine songs. been involved with.”
team won the championships in Sudbury in their
Sports
Sports
Sports
Would like to thank all our advertisers,
class. “When they won the championship, I was Sports W ould like to thank all our advertisers,
shar
some
e
us to
who have
teamed up with
Energy
Energy
Energy News
Energy
Ne
ws
ws
Ne
Ne
ws
in ICU, just having had a lung removed. The who have teamed up with us to share some
remarkable, positive local sports success
initial prognosis was bleak, and I hadn’t received Energy Ne ws remarkable, positive local sports success
the results yet, so when I heard that they had won Stories And More About The People In Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry stories, from all ages, young and old.
stories, from all ages, young and old.
and all the messages started to come in, that really
buoyed me.”
Syd is now in his fifth term as a Cornwall City
Councilor and will have served twenty years when
the present term expires. Those twenty years
have not been without some controversy though.
An advocate of “no smoking”, Syd’s work was
instrumental in getting the non-smoking bylaw
passed in Cornwall, making it the first small city in
Ontario to become “smoke free”. “It didn’t matter
where I went at that time, people would tell me
that it was going to kill business, and I got called
all kinds of names. It wasn’t just me - my wife was