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In the end, three mayors Dale Hodges served with came to remember him Saturday — he outlived two others.
The three living former mayors and a fellow councillor recalled the city’s longest-serving councillor as a tireless and meticulous civil servant who will live on through his achievements.
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And one thread ran through those tributes to Hodges, who served on city council for 30 years and who died Dec. 31 following a lengthy illness: endless kept papers and capers.
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“Dale read everything and Dale kept everything,” former mayor Al Duerr told mourners gathered at Parkdale United Church.
“We thought of it as a mess of paper, Dale thought of it as a treasure.”
But those accumulated documents, which famously packed his city hall office and overflowed into a mini van, were often Hodges’ ace-in-the hole in getting things done for the city, recalled his former colleagues.
Former city coun. Bob Hawkesworth said written phone lists were instrumental in mobilizing citizens against provincial government legislation that would have halted efforts to finalize the creation of Nose Hill Park in the late 1980s.
“The next time you walk or cycle on Nose Hill, remember the power relationships Dale built from those slips of paper,” said Hawkesworth.
Hodges was first elected as alderman for Ward 1 in 1983, beginning a 30-year career that spanned 10 consecutive terms until health issues led to his retirement in 2013. His tenure at city hall was the longest in the history of Calgary city council.
His service stretches back to the days of Don Hartman and Ralph Klein’s tenures as mayor. Both men have passed on.
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Hodges’ dedication to the city and his ward led to the eastern portion of Bowmont Park being named after him in 2019.
“When people enjoy that park forever, they’ll mention his name, which is a fitting tribute to a man who built this city,” said former mayor Naheed Nenshi.
As for capers, a favourite word of Hodges’ that denoted the goings-on at city hall, few were as plugged in and discerning as the former Ward 1 and Bowness stalwart, he said.
“He didn’t just know the capers, most of the time he created the capers,” said Nenshi.
“He knew when an issue was right and when an issue was going to go badly.”
His relentless hard work and commitment to serve, said Nenshi, made Hodges the epitome of selflessness.
The long-time councillor’s work contributed to the creation of the Enmax Legacy Parks program and the preservation of Baker Park, The Dougas Fir Tree Sanctuary and Varsity Ravine Park.
While Hodges’ packrat tendencies even led to fears his office had become a fire hazard, it was a small price to pay for the good work he accomplished, said former mayor Dave Bronconnier.
“He was always willing to fight for the little guy,” he said.
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A little-known act of generosity was Hodges’ decision to purchase a bus and hire a driver out of his pocket to transport Bowness school kids for a year when a safe pathway couldn’t be built for them, congregants heard.
“He absolutely loved his work and loved his city,” said community activist and Hodges confidant JoAnne Atkins.
Even though she never served with him on council, current Mayor Jyoti Gondek told the gathering Hodges’ reputation for thoroughness and preservation have lasted.
“Dale was a strong advocate for community engagement … he’s a member of our special family,” said Gondek, who noted his role as a librarian before he entered politics means Hodges served the community for 46 years.
Hodges’ tenure at city hall was not without edgy drama.
In the early 2000s, the then-president of the Hells Angels’ local chapter, Ken Szczerba, had plotted to blow up Hodges’ home after the councillor blocked plans for a new clubhouse for the motorcycle gang.
Szczerba was jailed for a year after a trial that saw Hodges testify against the gang boss.
Hodges is survived by his wife of 52 years, Yvonne.
BKaufmann@postmedia.com
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