The City of Burnaby has officially renamed MacPherson Park to Lewarne Park, to honour the former Burnaby mayor, councillor and volunteer, William Lewarne.
Born in the Alta Vista neighbourhood in Burnaby, Lewarne founded the Burnaby Voters Association and served on city council from 1973 to 1975 and again 1977 to 1981. In 1981, he was elected mayor and served until 1987.
“Bill’s dedication to this community went far beyond his years as an elected official. He served with local community organizations such as the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, the Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation,” said Mayor Mike Hurley, in a statement. “Bill’s dedication to this community helped Burnaby develop into the thriving city that exists today.”
The park is located at Rumble Street and MacPherson Avenue, adjacent to Burnaby South Secondary School. Working with the Lewarne family, city staff determined that this park location was ideal due to its proximity to where he lived. The park was originally named for its proximity to MacPherson Avenue.
Lewarne was integral to the creation of Burnaby’s Most Outstanding Citizen Award. In 1982, Professor Takayoshi Makino of the University of Hokkaido in Japan presented Lewarne with the Kushiro Cup. The trophy is now presented each year to honour the contributions of Burnaby’s Most Outstanding Citizen.
Lewarne passed away in 1995.
