CORNWALL, Ontario – Two people with high-profile municipal portfolios are retiring.
City hall confirmed this week planning manager Stephen Alexander and parks and recreation manager Christine Lefebvre are retiring.
A pair of city press releases follows.
Long-time City of Cornwall Manager Stephen Alexander retiring
One of the City of Cornwall’s most well-known employees is set to retire.
Stephen Alexander, General Manager of Planning, Parks and Recreation, will be retiring on Friday, June 12th after a career with the City that spanned 35 years.
“Stephen has been an extremely dedicated employee for the City of Cornwall and he has had a positive impact on our community through his work with the City and his involvement with various community groups and organizations,” said CAO Norm Levac. “His knowledge of municipal affairs will be missed; however we do wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.”
Mr. Alexander first joined the City of Cornwall in September 1979 as a Planner, and his work in the Planning Department would remain a constant throughout his career. Over time, Mr. Alexander would become involved in a number of other areas as well. These included Parks and Recreation, Building and By-law Enforcement and, for a period of time, Social Housing. Mr. Alexander has also served as a key resource for the City’s Waterfront Committee, the Cornwall Regional Airport Commission, Heart of the City and numerous other City and community-driven initiatives. In addition, he served as Acting CAO for a period of time in 2012.
“It goes without saying that I have enjoyed my career with the City of Cornwall and working with all of my immediate colleagues, other staff and the various Councils and committees over my 35 years,” Mr. Alexander said.
From a Planning perspective, Mr. Alexander’s contributions can be seen on many levels – and none is more obvious than the waterfront. He was involved with the creation of Cornwall’s first Waterfront Plan, a document which laid the framework for the development of many of the amenities we now see in Lamoureux Park – the clock tower, children’s playground and splashpad, boat launch, parking areas, the Rotary Eco Gardens and a fully-linked waterfront recreational trail, to name a few.
More recently, Mr. Alexander has assisted with the development of Brownfield and Heart of the City Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). These are programs that provide financial assistance to help redevelop former industrial sites or commercial properties in Cornwall’s traditional commercial areas. The CIPs have proven to be quite popular and Cornwall’s programs have been used as a model for other communities.
As for a concrete example, Mr. Alexander points to the Benson Centre as one of the key projects that he was able to work on during his time with the City.
“In my chosen vocation of Planning and in my other areas of responsibility, I hope that my actions and efforts have contributed to the progress and improvement of this community,” Mr. Alexander said. “On reflection, I believe they have, and that is due in no small part to a very dedicated team of staff, Council members and community volunteers that I have been fortunate to work with.”
The process to fill Mr. Alexander’s position is expected to begin in the near future.
Head of Parks and Recreation Division set to retire this summer
The long-time leader of the City of Cornwall’s Parks and Recreation Division is set to retire at the end of July.
Christine Lefebvre, Division Manager of Parks and Recreation, will be retiring on Friday, July 31st, bringing to an end a 32-year career with the City of Cornwall.
“Through her work with Parks and Recreation and numerous sports and community organizations, Christine has become one of the City’s most recognizable employees,” said CAO Norm Levac. “As a City, we have made some significant strides under Christine’s guidance and her knowledge will be sorely missed. We wish her all the best in her retirement.”
Mrs. Lefebvre started with the City of Cornwall as Aquatic Coordinator in 1983 and she was eventually promoted to the position of Division Manager, Parks and Recreation. In this role, Mrs. Lefebvre helped to usher in a new era for sports and recreation in Cornwall. Under her guidance, new facilities such as the Aquatic Centre and Benson Centre were established to replace older sports facilities that have served their purpose. These new facilities have become key hubs of activity and for residents of all ages, both in Cornwall and beyond.
“It was a great experience for me to work with other City staff members, Council members and various community groups and citizens on the development of these new facilities,” said Mrs. Lefebvre. “It required a full community effort to bring them from an idea to reality. I believe they are an important factor in the overall quality of life that we enjoy in Cornwall.”
Other highlights of Mrs. Lefebvre’s career include the development of a user fee policy for sports facilities, the development of a management plan to combat the emerald ash borer infestation and an ongoing effort to enhance accessibility to City recreation facilities.
In her role as Parks and Recreation Division Manager, Mrs. Lefebvre has also responsible for maintenance and landscaping efforts in City parks and public areas. This includes things like grass cutting, tree planting and replacement and maintenance of dozens of flower gardens throughout the community.
Mrs. Lefebvre takes pride in having played a role in the development of Lamoureux Park, considered by many to be one of Cornwall’s greatest assets.
“We are fortunate to have an excellent system of parks, recreational paths and recreation programs and facilities in Cornwall,” she said. “This is a result of the great team of staff that we have in place. I’ve been fortunate to be able to work with such a great team of employees, elected officials and community volunteers throughout the years.”
The process to fill Mrs. Lefebvre’s position is expected to begin in the near future.
