Mr. Speaker, Orléans lost an important community leader earlier this month. On May 1, after a long battle with cancer and surrounded by family, local legend Al Tweddle passed away.

Al was a chemist, an engineer, a sportsman, a musician, a conservationist and, above all, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Al was a community leader and a trailblazer in Orléans for decades.

Since the 1960s, Al and his previously deceased wife, Helen, were pillars in the Queenswood Heights neighbourhood of Orléans. This is the neighbourhood I grew up in, and while I didn’t know Al back then, I knew who he was. He was the man who maintained the outdoor rinks and who helped run the community centre. He was the man who took care of the tennis courts and so much more. In fact, Al took care of outdoor rinks in Orléans for over 50 years.

I got to know Al when I joined the community association and later served as president. He was a constant fixture and an important sounding board for new ideas.

Al had a great passion for nature and the outdoors. He was instrumental in developing Petrie Island into a beautiful park and ecological reserve, as the founder of Friends of Petrie Island. At Friends of Petrie Island, he spent countless hours maintaining the trails, planting trees, cleaning the beach, and educating visitors about the wildlife and history of the island.

He touched the lives of many people with his generosity, kindness and dedication.

While he is gone, his legacy will not be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Al. You will be missed by everyone in Queenswood Heights and right across Orléans.