Community remembers Brian Merrett with tree planting
Tracey Merrett says her late husband Brian never wanted any recognition for his work.
“He’d be humbled by this,” she said of the small gathering of people that came out to dedicate a tree to him Sunday.
A locust tree has been planted at the Peace Garden in Cooks Mills by the Welland heritage advisory committee. A small plaque at the plaque at the base of the tree commemorates the passion and dedication he put into his work and the small community.
Merrett said her husband, who died Aug. 26, 2016, after a battle with leukemia and lymphoma at age 66, was a history and heritage buff who championed tourism and helping communities make their mark.
The Niagara Falls native wore many hats during his life, sitting on Niagara Falls city council for seven years and regional council for 12 years, and serving both as chair of Niagara Region and later Niagara Parks Commission for six years each. After retirement, he became chief executive officer of the Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council.
People who came out to honour his memory, such as Welland Ward 5 Coun. Mike Petrachenko and Connie McCutcheon, who sits on the heritage advisory committee, said he was an instrumental force in 1812 commemorations and re-enactments across the region.
“We’re just so grateful for everything Brian did to help the region, the city and the community celebrate the War of 1812 200th anniversary,” McCutcheon said. “We thought this was a wonderful opportunity to show that gratitude.”
She said he was a supporter of the Welland 1812 committee when it was establishing the Peace Garden where his tree will now grow.
Petrachenko called the tree a “fitting and classy recognition of his dedication.” He said he remembers Merrett being someone who could help a project move forward when they thought they were stuck.
Andre Ceci spoke on behalf of the Welland War of 1812 committee, saying Merrett’s generosity and dedicated assistance helped provide Cooks Mills with a legitimacy it was looking for, in particular with being recognized for its role in the War of 1812. The Battle of Cook’s Mills was one of the last battles of the war.
Tracey Merrett said her husband was happy to do whatever he could to help out the community and its people.
She shared how the two of them would talk about what they had done for the day when they sat down together at the end of each day.
“He always ended saying, ‘I can’t believe they’re paying me to do this. I’m having so much fun,’” she said.