Park honouring activism of late Deleskie brothers
SYDNEY — A dedication ceremony today at the newly opened Open Hearth Park will honour the passion and commitment of two brothers who helped to lead the charge to have the tar ponds and associated sites cleaned up.
Twin brothers, Don and Ron Deleskie were permanent fixtures at nearly every community meeting on how the cleanup should proceed.
One highlight of their campaign to bring attention to the toxic waste dump came in August 1999 when they waded into the tar ponds and began shovelling toxic goo into barrels.
“I am sick and tired of seeing so many in our community die,’’ said Don Deleskie, speaking during an interview after the event.
The tar ponds were created after nearly a century of steelmaking. The ponds were a waste dump for byproducts from the steelmaking and associated processes employed at the plant. It was considered Canada’s worst toxic waste zone.
Today, the ponds and other sites are unrecognizable having undergone a $400 million cleanup which produced badly needed recreational areas along with spaces for commercial development.
“I know some people, well, let’s be blunt, thought (the Deleskie brothers) were crazy but they didn’t care. They had a great passion for the community,” said their sister, Sheila Windsor.
The brothers never did see the final product of the cleanup as Ron died in 2003 and Don passed away in 2008.
“They always knew they would never live to see the site cleaned up but that never bothered them because they did it all for future generations,” said Windsor.
Today’s dedication is expected to take place near the spot where the brothers did their first dig. Some of the brothers’ nieces and nephews, who were on scene for the dig, are expected to attend the dedication along with their children.
“It was for these generations that they protested,” said Windsor, adding the dedication will help keep their memory alive.
The family will be joined by provincial Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Geoff MacLellan in announcing the name for the new bike park set for 1:30 p.m.