Cancer claims Sault Ste. Marie Mayor

John Rowswell was remembered in Sault Ste. Marie as a visionary who always had his community's best interests and economic future at heart.

The three-term mayor died Aug. 31 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 55.

Rowswell died one day short of a planned Sept. 1 celebratory dinner honouring his achievements during his 10 years as mayor. Proceeds went toward scholarships at Algoma University and Sault College.

As flags on all municipal buildings were lowered to half mast, tributes poured in from Northern Ontario mayors and even Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Don Mitchell, a close friend and Sault businessman, said Rowswell had been hospitalized for two weeks, but was looking forward to the event.

“He was practising getting out of bed and into a wheelchair to get to this dinner.”

One of Rowswell's last public appeances was for the opening ceremonies of the Finnish Grand Festival in late July.

“He literally rested for two days to be able to go there and (perform)as mayor,” said Mitchell.

Rowswell was a political newcomer when first elected as mayor in 2000, defeating incumbent Steve Butland. A certified structural engineer who ran his own consulting company, Rowswell brought a decidedly businesss-type approach to the mayor's chair that sometimes clashed with city hall bureaucrats and councillors.

Mitchell summed up the mayor's legacy in one word: “vision.”

Rowswell ran as a mayoral candidate promoting that economic diversification in a mainly one-industry steel town was necessary to address social and cultural issues.

Mitchell said Rowswell was a pursuer of government infrastructure dollars for transportation, health care, education and retail projects.

“He's built a foundation that he can be proud of.”

When Algoma University and Sault College were turned down by government funders for building expansion projects, Rowswell wasn't afraid to use his political clout.

“John made phone calls and pitched on their behalf and a week later it was revisited and now we have both buildings half-way completed,” said Mitchell.

Despite his deepening illness, Rowswell chose to stay in the mayor's chair.

“I think there was still a lot of things John wanted to see done. As an individual, it also kept him alive. John drove himself,” said Mitchell.

Rowswell announced earlier this year he did not plan for run for a fourth term in the upcoming fall municipal elections.

He is survived by his wife Donna, four children and eight grandchildren.

Sudbury Mayor John Rodriguez called Rowswell's death a “tremendous loss” calling him an “inspirational and visionary leader” for the Sault and Northern Ontario.

Rodriguez appreciated Rowswell's “sage advice” and in-depth knowledge as as contributor in the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors partnership group.

Rodriguez said they shared a “passion for building our respective cities and a commitment to keep our eyes on the horizon...”