If elected as Greater Sudbury’s mayor Oct. 24, Bob Johnston would help local organizations create miniature parks such as the one he played a central role in creating five years ago.
Memory Park opened at the corner of Lorne and Oak streets in August 2017 on what was until then what Johnston describes as a small traffic island with overgrown grass.
Johnston co-founded Cruisin’ for Organ Donors with Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier, which raised funds and enlisted in-kind donations to get the park built for $800.
“This is one of my visions I see to beautify the whole city,” Johnston told Sudbury.com this week during a tour of the five-year-old park, which includes a flag pole, memorial stone, flower garden and three park benches, all installed in memory of organ donors.
“I think it’s just one way to beautify the city at a very minimum cost,” he said, adding there are “great organizations” in the city that might want their own miniature park to serve as a memorial location and central gathering place for events.
As the recipient of a life-saving kidney transplant in 2015, organ donations is a topic of great interest and advocacy for Johnston.
“I’ve had diabetes for 41 years, since I was 15, I’ve had 24 operations, I’ve had a kidney transplant, I’m a double-leg amputee, but life is great,” he said. “Life is what you make out of it.”
He credits an organ donor with saving his life, and considers all organ donors to be heroes.
In addition to creating more miniature parks, Johnston said he wants to help the city make greater use of playgrounds and community halls by getting volunteers to run youth programs.
“We’ve got to build the community up in every aspect,” he said. “We have to have the vision of bringing it all back together and beautifying our city once again.”
Johnston informally launched his campaign in May, when he filed his nomination papers with the city, and formally launched his campaign at the Northbury Hotel earlier this week, when he made a pledge for property tax and public transit fare cuts for seniors.
His next campaign event will be a wine and cheese event at the Northbury Hotel on Aug. 18, from 6 to 9 p.m., at which he plans on announcing another major platform point.
In addition to Johnston, registered mayoral candidates also include Paul Lefebvre, Don Gravelle, Evelyn Dutrisac and Miranda Rocca-Circelli. Mayor Brian Bigger has announced his intention to seek a third term as mayor. Although he has yet to register, Bigger recently reaffirmed with Sudbury.com his intention to do so.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
