Dale Bumstead. Photo courtesy of City of Dawson Creek website

By Jeff Henson

DAWSON CREEK

Bumstead announces retirement as Mayor of Dawson Creek

Sep 7, 2022 | 11:56 AM

Dale Bumstead has announced he is retiring from his role as Mayor of Dawson Creek, effective this Friday.

Bumstead has served as Mayor for the past nine years.

He says flood mitigation has been a key focus of his time as Mayor.

“Over the years, the one and two hundred year events have been happening every 5-6 years. So we have been impacted by flooding and we have done some positive work with regards to building some infrastructure like bridges, and protecting from erosion and stuff like that.”

Getting commercial air traffic back into the city, and work around events and sports tourism – in particular their track record of hosting events for Hockey Canada – are other activities that Bunstead is particularly proud of.

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He is also particularly proud of the efforts to get a new hospital for the city.

“We worked hard on attracting and getting the provincial government to announce a new hospital for Dawson Creek and our region. That is in the planning stages and we will start construction next year.”

“That is as proud a moment for me and being a part of that lobbying effort to the province to ge t that done.”

Bumstead says he is humbled to have been able to serve as Mayor of his hometown.

“(My wife and I) have lived our entire life here and raised our kids here. This has been our home. When I retired from work, Laverne after a couple of years of retirement gave me the old “Look I married you for love, not for lunch. You need to go find something to do!” And so I was honestly humbled to be elected as the Mayor. And now nine years later you think of all of those things and how you tried to contribute to your community.”

Bumstead is retiring in advance of next month’s municipal election in order to pursue consulting work in the Dawson Creek area, adding he has no plans to leave his hometown.