Action Vanier's "superman" volunteer retires
Posted Jan 8, 2010 By Desmond Devoy
Email
Print
Tweet This
Click to Enlarge
Desmond Devoy, Ottawa East EMC
Off Into The Sunset: Action Vanier co-founder Gilles Ladouceur at his recent retirement party at Centre Pauline Charron on December 22.
Click to Enlarge
EMC News - After more than 15 years spent reviving Action Vanier, master volunteer Gilles Ladouceur has decided to retire. 
Desmond Devoy, Ottawa East EMC
Outgoing volunteer Gilles Ladouceur was congratulated for his hard work in the community by Ottawa-Vanier MPP Madeleine Meilleur last month.
Ladouceur was honoured by Action Vanier's Board of Directors, community members and politicians during a special luncheon in his honour at Centre Pauline Charron, 165 Jeanne-Mance Street on the morning of Tuesday, December 22.
The decision to restart a dormant charity was made easier for Ladouceur and his friends those many years ago, because of a bureaucratic hiccup.
"In 1992, Action Vanier decided to close. But they never sent the papers to Industry Canada," to officially wind them up, said Ladouceur, during an interview before his party. As a result, Ladouceur and two friends, at the behest of Vanier's then-mayor, decided to begin reviving it in 1994.
"We wanted to do some charity work. We wanted to change all of the street signs in Vanier," he recalled. In time though, Action Vanier, through Ladouceur's hard work, began taking on other initiatives, including reviving the Sugar Shack in Richelieu Park and maintaining the Maple Sugar Fest, a highlight of any Vanier winter season. Action Vanier was also helpful in setting up the Vanier Museopark and a monthly bilingual newspaper, Perspectives Vanier.
The decision to take on the Sugar Shack and its annual festival was placed upon them after Vanier amalgamated with the City of Ottawa in 2001 since "the City said they were not the festival business."
Ladouceur made the decision to retire in early December.
"I've been doing this for 15 years. I'm looking for new ventures. I don't know what exactly," he admitted. "We had fun. We built it up to have fun...(But) after 15 years, I think people need a change. It needs to continue."
In his speech to the assembled, he thanked the more than 200 local volunteers who had helped him run all of Action Vanier's various events and initiatives.
"Vanier is a lot better today. It's changed a lot. It's a great place to live," said the 20-year resident. A former Canada Post employee, volunteering is in Ladouceur's blood. He also volunteers for his local church as well as for the Vanier branch of the Optimist Club.
Weatherwise, however, he could not have picked a better time to retire.
"I'm going to take the winter off," he said with a smile.
Fellow Action Vanier members paid tribute to Ladouceur.
"Gilles has always been the heart and soul of Action Vanier. He is a big piece of the puzzle. A lot of the activities materialized because of Gilles and other people," said Leo Lavergne, the President of the Board of Directors of Action Vanier. "He carried two, three hats. He had to do everything to keep it going," especially during its early years.
"The whole community owes him a huge debt of gratitude," said Lavergne. "If there is a Sugar Bush, it is because of Gilles."
Even with the event coming just days before Christmas, Lavergne said it was important to take time to honour Ladouceur.
"We wanted to do a little something for him now, even if it is a busy time now," he said.
Because Ladouceur did so much for the organization, Lavergne admitted that, in the New Year, he will have a busy time trying to divide up Ladouceur's many duties.
"It's when you look at what you have to replace and you say, 'How do you replace Superman?'" he said with a laugh. Léon Harvey has already been chosen to become the new coordinator for the Maple Sugar Fest, while the Vanier Museopark will now be handling volunteer coordination. "We're in the process of...trying to separate the duties he was doing."
"I've always been impressed with his can-do attitude," added board member Bruce Poulin. "Volunteers with commitment are a rare commodity. It's time to recognize his contribution."
Members of Vanier's political community were also on hand to pay their respects to Ladouceur's years of hard work.
"Gilles is the perfect definition of a volunteer. He is everywhere. He is so generous of his time. He puts his proper health on the line!" said Ottawa-Vanier MPP Madeleine Meilleur at the event. "He doesn't know how to say no. I hope that he will take some time for him."
Meilleur admitted that even though Action Vanier now has "some big shoes to fill, he will be missed. But it won't be a full retirement," she predicted.
blog comments powered by Disqus
