By Dan McCaffery for the Sarnia Observer
He was the man who opened up Sarnia’s waterfront to the public.
Henry T. Ross, the City’s 62nd Mayor, was the person chiefly responsible for the creation of Centennial Park.
Born in Ridgewater, Nova Scotia in the last days of the 19th century, he graduated from McGill University with a degree in economics.
During the First World War Ross served overseas with the 1st Canadian Tank Battalion.
Returning home after the war, he entered the banking business, moved to Sarnia and worked for two decades as a Manager of the Royal Bank.
Elected as an Alderman in 1959, he won the Mayor’s job three years later.
“He was a visionary”, says Jim Harris, who served with Mayor Ross on the Sarnia Hydro Commission, “He was always looking down the line 1O years”.
In fact, he spearheaded planning on the waterfront park that was the City’s centennial project.
Others wanted to build a community centre but Mayor Ross insisted open space along the river would be of more value to future generations.
Centennial Park was undoubtedly his greatest achievement but Ross changed the City for the better in other ways, too. Indeed, his four years as Mayor were among the most successful in the City’s history. Among other things, Council opened both a new City Hall and the Sarnia Public Library and Art Gallery during his administration.
Besides serving as Alderman and Mayor, he was a President of the Chamber of Commerce, the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club and the Sarnia Riding Club. On top of that, he was Chair of Lambton College, the Hydro Commission and both Hospital Boards.
Mayor Ross, who lived at 312 Brock Street N. with his wife, Isobel, died in October 1989, at age 90.