A Tribute to One Who understood Public Service

The late Norm Stewart, veteran of the U.K. And Canadian Armed Services. former Councillor of Aurora, husband and father to Joyce ,their two daughters and son, stalwart and loyal friend to many will not have a street named for him.

For the simple reason, a street has already been named ; Earl Stewart Drive

Norm was nutritionist at St Andrew's College. He was the CAO of the kitchen and dining establishment. When St Andrew's needed support, Norm found many community opportunities for the facilities to be used during summer months.

I believe twinning with Leksand, Sweden was an initiative of Norm's.Many Leksand groups were accommodated at St. Andrew's. The town didn't have a hotel.

The Stewart family were avid campers They had Americans friends they met annually. Norm admired their enthusiasm for celebrating July 4th. He thought we could take a page.

I would not presume to claim Aurora's first July 1st was the best ever. I do not know that. But it certainly was spectacular.

He didn't do it by himself. Of course not. He was the inspiration. He recruited, maybe conscripted is a better word, every organisation in town to participate. They did so with gusto.

The time was right. We celebrated Canada's Centennial. two years earlier. . We were still on a high with our new state of the art community centre. Aurora was a hockey town. We had no facility for several years.We were ready for it.

We passed a bylaw to compel businesses to close on July 1^st..

Norm insisted on two principles. No politician would exploit the event. All revenue raised would be used to pay for the celebration and create a reserve for the next year.

Norm Stewart was responsible for several other initiatives. He brought Big Brothers to Aurora, He became the first Big Brother. He proposed offering space to the organisation in Church Street school when the school board vacated.

Everything Norm did, he did with intensity. He was as typical an army sergeant as can be imagined. Being credited was not important. It was always enough to know, he had a part in it

Real military experience, when lives depend on everybody pulling to-gether, might have had something to do with that.

He was the Councillor who proposed the Citizen of the Year Award.It was not to be awarded if there wasn't an outstanding contribution to be recognised.

He proposed the Civic Awards Night

When Norm's young son-in-law died of cancer, Norm was there to support his daughter and her infant child in every way possible.

The Stewarts had strong friendships. When Max Weiderman, owner of the Graystones restaurant died, Anita. left with a restaurant to run and two children to raise, found Norm's a strong and steady shoulder.

When Omar Khamissa and his young family came to Aurora, refugees from tyrant Idi Amin, the Stewarts immediately made sure they knew they had found a new home.

I never knew Norm's exact army title. He certainly fullfilled every imaginable aspect of a ferocious and irascible Sergeant Major, who got things done, whipped everybody into shape, wouldn't take no for an answer, knew and identified a puff ball when he saw one and didn't much care if he was loved by everyone.

Whoever added the name Earl to the street of Stewart wanted to make sure there would be no confusion.

Richard Isaacson was a one term Councillor, made no impression whatsoever, never offered to serve again and the same people gave his name to a big broad avenue. .

But there wasn't, isn't and now never will be, a street named after Norm Stewart.

At another time, in the same place, there may be another opportunity.

But I'm sure the old soldier lies peacefully undisturbed.