Norm Crossman's dedication to his community provided an environment for positive change in Moncton

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The passing of Moncton city councillor Norman Crossman late last week garnered national attention. Lewisville's most dedicated man was the longest serving municipal politician in the nation with over 41 years of service to this community.

One of the reasons Norm was such a successful councillor was his determination to act in the best interest of his constituents. This was demonstrated in many ways, but none so spectacularly as his involvement with the Kay Community Centre.

The Kay Arena was one of three community rinks in Moncton slated to close in the fall of 2002, after the completion of the Tim Horton's 4-Ice Centre. Residents of Lewisville and the surrounding area were outraged by the decision, and Norm, as one of the councillors for Ward 1, listened to them.

On Dec. 2, 2002, over 200 people filled council chambers and petitioned the City to keep their arena open. It was Norm who made the successful motion to council, seconded by fellow Ward 1 councillor Steven Boyce, to keep the arena open until the end of the 2003-4 hockey and skating season.

Norman, as the mayor of the village of Lewisville before its amalgamation with Moncton, probably knew long before 2002 that the members of that community were capable of bringing about great change.

By April of 2004, the Keep the Kay committee had developed a proposal to turn the centre into a year-round recreation facility, including an improved ice surface, with a $4.5 million price tag. The committee had a plan for raising those funds, as well, with 30% coming from each of the three levels of government, and the final 10% raised by the community.

Last Sunday was slated to be the official Grand Re-opening of the Kay Community Centre. With Norm's passing, the event was, understandably, postponed to a later date. The centre itself has actually been in use for a few months, so he was able to see the results of all this hard work.

As the liaison for the City of Moncton with the Kay Community centre, he saw first-hand, and probably not for the first time, how communities can work together for a common goal. He was quoted in 2006 as saying that one of the most important fights he'd ever won was the Kay Arena.

The work done by this community, with the support of "grass roots" politicians like Norman, is not just an isolated phenomenon.

Any time a group of people join forces to work for changem whether on the local, provincial or national level, there is the opportunity to build a stronger community.

That effort should be encouraged by each of us, as it was by Norman Crossman.