LAURIE WEIR
A proposal to rename the town’s Seniors Activity Centre in honour of long-time community advocate John “Bud” Fawcett is moving ahead, following unanimous support from council at its June 9 committee of the whole meeting.
While no official name has been selected, The Bud Fawcett Seniors Centre has emerged as the leading suggestion. A formal 14-day public consultation process will begin immediately, with a final recommendation expected to return to council for decision and bylaw approval on June 23.
Fawcett, who passed away in April, left a deep imprint on the town through his decades of volunteer service. Best known for his involvement with the Harmony Seniors Centre, Golden Age Bowling Club and 55 Plus Bowlers, he was also a 33-year employee of Hershey Canada and a past member of the Church Council at Trinity United.
Fawcett was inducted into the Smiths Falls Recreation Hall of Fame in 2017, received the Charles Gilhuly Award in 2024, and was nominated for Citizen of the Year in 2023.
Coun. Jennifer Miller said the Fawcett family was “very touched” by the town’s move to explore the renaming.
Coun. Jay Brennan commented that “Bud was a great citizen of the town. The seniors’ centre has over 400 members now, largely because of Bud and Gloria. They’re really happy to hear this may happen. I fully support it.”
The Seniors Activity Centre, a hub for social, recreational and wellness programming, was described in Hometown News last year as a “community lifeline” for older adults. Members interviewed at the time pointed to Fawcett as the heart and soul of the building.
If approved later this month, the renaming would stand as a lasting tribute to a man whose mission was to make aging in Smiths Falls more joyful, active and inclusive.
