Former Whistler mayor and councillor Terry Rodgers passed away last weekend. He was 82
Rodgers, a geologist, and his wife Christine moved to Whistler in 1980. Terry managed Christine's medical practice before being elected to council for the first time in February 1982. He served two terms as an alderman and was elected mayor in December 1984 in the middle of the recession that devastated the fledgling Whistler Village.
Rodgers was succeeded as mayor by Drew Meredith in 1986 but was re-elected as an alderman in 1988 and again in 1990.
"Terry was a very straightforward person," said Dave Kirk, who served with Rodgers on council from 1990-93. "He was a very dedicated, honest, frank person. He had a different sense of humour for sure, definitely a bit on the academic side."
Kirk recalls the council Rodgers led as mayor going on a tour of resort towns and Terry returning with an appreciation of how important parks and flora were to the resort experience.
"He was very impressed with Vail and Aspen and their flowers, gardens and parks," Kirk said.
Nancy Wilhelm-Morden's first term on council coincided with Rogers's term as mayor from 1984 to 1986.
"We were quite an active council," Wilhelm-Morden said. "We had let our administrator go quite early in the term and Terry kind of took on the dual role, acting as administrator at the same time he was mayor."
That council did a lot of work on the financial front, Wilhelm-Morden recalled, including revamping development cost charges and other matters that had long-term financial implications.
"Terry provided the leadership," Wilhelm-Morden said.
During his last term on council Rodgers served on a committee overseeing expansion of Whistler's sewage treatment facility. The committee faced strong opposition from some Squamish residents who were worried about pollutants in the water discharged by Whistler. Rodgers's even, steady approach to the controversial plan helped maintain civility during what was often a highly-charged situation.
The bridge on Lorimer Road that crosses Fitzsimmons Creek is named after Rodgers.
Terry and Christine lived in West Vancouver in recent years, where Terry could pursue his lifelong passion for sailing.
Rodgers was born in Somerset, UK. He attended the Royal School of Mines, University of London. While captain of the sailing club he met Christine. They were married in 1954. The couple moved to Canada in 1957, where Terry's geology career took them across the country.
Terry was an early member of the Eagle Harbour Yacht Club in West Vancouver and served as Commodore in 1977. In 1978 the Rodgers bought Divette II in the Channel Islands and spent two and a half years sailing her back to Vancouver.
Upon retirement and moving from Whistler to West Vancouver, Terry and Christine continued their sailing adventures with trips to Alaska, the Queen Charlotte Islands and around Vancouver Island.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at 113 Bonnymuir Drive, West Vancouver on Friday, July 29, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Donations to Lions Gate Hospital Foundation or BC Marine Parks Forever Society would be appreciated.
