The Town of Bay Roberts and Port de Grave MHA Glenn Littlejohn honoured two of the town's past municipal leaders at the council with the Queen's Jubilee medal Tuesday (Aug.21) evening at the council chambers in Bay Roberts.
The medals are given out to people who have showed exemplary service to the community and help commemorate the 60 years Queen Elizabeth II has spent on the throne.
Former mayors Wilbur Sparkes and Eric Dawe were chosen to receive medals based on their contributions to the development of Bay Roberts.
Dawe, a member of the town’s first council and former mayor, was chosen as Bay Roberts’ selection to receive the medal.
Dawe was instrumental in the amalgamation of Bay Roberts and its outlying communities in 1951.
He went on to serve 16 years on council, eight of those as mayor.
Sparkes was Littlejohn’s nomination for the award.
Sparkes was the longest serving mayor in Bay Roberts’ history. He served 24 years as mayor before stepping down in 2005. Prior to that, he served on the town council for Bay Roberts East, prior to its amalgamation with Bay Roberts.
Both former mayors received standing ovations when receiving their medals.
“Everyone sitting here tonight knows the contributions that Mayor Sparkes has made to the community of Bay Roberts. Not only the community of Bay Roberts, but also Conception Bay North in general,” said Littlejohn, on his nomination of Sparkes.
Mayor Philip Wood presented the medal to Dawe.
“Thank you for this honour, of which I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” said Dawe.
