THEY GAVE IT THEIR ALL

Don Atchison and Pat Lorje may have lost their jobs in Wednesday’s election, but Saskatoon residents should be grateful for the legacy both council veterans leave behind after dedicating decades of public service to the betterment of their community.

Mr. Atchison came up short in his bid to serve a fifth term as mayor, with voters deciding that it was time for change at the city’s helm. While he certainly attracted his share of controversy during 22 years on city council — 13 years as mayor since 2003 and nine previous years as a councillor — over everything from advocating to build a glass dome over eight downtown blocks, to insisting early on that visitors to the mayor’s office wear a tie, to his non-participation in Saskatoon’s Pride parades, Saskatoon made long strides under Mr. Atchison’s tenure.

The man bestowed with the title “Canada’s Craziest Mayor” by comedian Rick Mercer in 2004 over such foibles also was chair of the civic police commission that repaired the Saskatoon Police Service’s nationally tarnished image and worked to establish healthy community-police relations.

While Mr. Atchison claims the Shaw Centre, built in partnership with senior governments and the city’s school divisions, as a major accomplishment, he also backed Saskatoon’s nationally recognized social housing program and was a proponent of incorporating the west side into the landmark south downtown development — where work has finally begun on parcel Y — and includes The River Landing project, Persephone Theatre and Remai Modern Art Gallery.

Whether it was council supporting Station 20 West, whose funding was yanked by a new Wall government, or working to revive older neighbourhoods such as Mayfair, Pleasant Hill and Riversdale, or co-operating with the federal and provincial governments to build the new Gordie Howe Bridge, north commuter bridge and a replacement Traffic Bridge, Mr. Atchison left an indelible stamp on Saskatoon.

While he may be faulted for unwavering support of suburban growth that means an increasingly car-centric Saskatoon and opposition to bike lanes on downtown streets, history will no doubt remember Mr. Atchison as a highly visible and effective mayor with an incredible love for his city.

For her part, the feisty and colourful Ms. Lorje unstintingly represented the people of Saskatoon for an astounding 34 years, 22 of them as a councillor and 12 years as an MLA, working to reform Saskatchewan’s approach to immigration.

Whether it was defending the interests of Montgomery residents, protecting areas of her ward she felt were overrun with social agencies, or taking on city hall for hiring too many outside consultants, hers was often a fierce and independent voice.

Saskatoon is better for the contributions she and Mr. Atchison made.