Outgoing Terrace city councillor Marylin Davies says that Terrace today reminds her of 51 years ago when she arrived with her father and the rest of her family to a small bustling town.
Davies, who is moving to the city of Courtenay on Vancouver Island to seek relief from a nagging medical condition in the warmer climate, tendered her resignation on June 23 in advance of local government elections this November.
A byelection will not be triggered because Davies is leaving within five months of the election date with her last council day falling on June 23.
She and her husband Phil have been downsizing the possessions in their 2,800 square foot home on Kenney in preparation for the move. They are catching a ferry south out of Prince Rupert on July 8.
“I have never failed to be amazed at the time and effort that our staff [now] and our staff through the years puts forward to us in support,” she told council on her last session.
“I believe Terrace has moved from a small town mindset community to a have-not town to the edge of the boom. I don’t think we ever dreamed it could happen and now it is upon us.”
Davies says that she believes the community has to come first in policy decisions, and she worries about a trend toward partisan politics in municipalities across the country.
“I know you have spent a lot of time and effort in your position, and I know that council appreciates that,” said mayor David Pernarowski.
Davies served seven years as city councillor from 2001 to 2008 before being defeated. She was reelected for a third term in 2011.
Her professional life has included 45 years as music teacher.
She was one of the city’s directors to the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine for four years and she also sat on the regional hospital district board for five years.
In her recent term, she was the community liaison to Educational Services and department liaison to the RCMP.
And she also sat on the Terrace and District Museum Society strategic committee.
Davies said she remembers fondly acting in plays at the McConnell Playhouse and serving as president of the BC Ladies Golfers Association.
She also co-founded the Pacific Northwest Terrace Music Festival with a friend when she was 25.
“We are proof that it can be done,” she said of the ability of people in Terrace to start something significant like an ongoing festival.
One of Davies’ final actions as a member of council is to organize the creation of a photo placard of the Terrace Freemen to put in city hall.