Mack Wilson Memorial Park honours the man who helped build a modern Renfrew

Renfrew – The town of Renfrew’s history is filled with the names of men like M. J. O’Brien and many others who invested and helped build a modern town, and last week, another name was added to that illustrious list.

About 130 people gathered for the dedication of Mack Wilson Memorial Park in the Hunter Gate subdivision, one of the many developments for which the late developer was responsible. Among those who came to honour the late Mr. Wilson were former business associates and friends who not only shared stories of one of Renfrew’s most successful developers, but for many, it was the first time they heard about some selfless acts that were never revealed.

Mr. Wilson, who passed away at the age of 79 in 2017, was honoured by his son Jim and some local politicians who shared memories of a man whose influence can still be seen today by the major housing developments currently under construction which bear his name, seven years after his death.

The younger Mr. Wilson, who lives in the Toronto area, assumed the role of emcee for the occasion and shared a brief history of his father.

“Mack came from modest beginnings from a farm in Admaston and he put in hard excavation work, then moved to car and trailer sales and opened a real estate company in the mid-1980s,” Mr. Wilson said. “Mack was convinced that building solid housing and amenities would bring in a bigger population from Ottawa and he worked tirelessly building up and promoting Renfrew. He would always say, ‘come to Renfrew and you will never leave’.”

He told the crowd his father started Wilson’s Car Sales (Datsun) at the age of 32 in 1970, establishing Wilson Investments in 1976 and over the next 40 years going on to develop and manage more than 300 commercial and residential units.

“Look around at the housing we see here today and that began in 1990 when he started M. Wilson Home Developments and started to build single-family dwellings and multiple family units in the town,” he said.

He recalled how his dad and the late former mayor Howard Haramis helped build up the Renfrew Industrial Commission, one of the earliest models of an economic development agency long before they became established departments within most municipal governments, and how his dad always believed in sustainable growth for Renfrew.

“Mack spent 25 years on the Renfrew Industrial Commission and he was proud of that relationship and how it worked so closely with the town to help Renfrew grow.”

Renfrew Reeve and Renfrew County Warden Peter Emon said attending the ceremony reminded him of when he first met Mr. Wilson and ended up buying his first car from him.

“From that time on, I developed a good working relationship with him, and I am still amazed how he went against conventional norm and established a real estate company in the 1980s.

“I bought my first house at that time and the interest rate was around 17 percent. It is amazing he got financing to start a land development company and he had the guts to do it and he stuck with it for so many years. It tells you all you need to know about taking a chance in the business world and how to be successful. Mack was successful.”

Reeve Emon said when four local municipal governments came together to create the Renfrew and Area Health Services Village to recruit doctors, they approached Mr. Wilson to help launch the village.

“Mack jumped right in where many others just sat back and said they needed a doctor and waited until one became available,” he said. “Mack was not only a builder who built houses from the ground up, but he was a community builder who didn’t just look at site plans but he had a vision of where he wanted Renfrew to go and how to make Renfrew successful.”

Mayor Tom Sidney reflected on the legacy Mr. Wilson left in terms of housing and commercial buildings he developed over a 30-year period.

“I knew Mack Wilson my entire life through my grandparents and my parents and he would always stop and say ‘hi’ and ask how you were doing,” he said. “When I look around here today, I don’t just see subdivisions or homes. I see Mack Wilson building families, neighbours and friends. Mack knew that. Mack knew that Renfrew was going to grow and his vision is still with us today.”

Councillor Andrew Dick shared a very personal story that revealed a side of Mack Wilson that many never had a chance to see.

“When I embarked on my journey of sobriety, I found myself needing a new place to live and despite the circumstances that led to my situation, Mack showed me unwavering compassion and support,” he said. “He was respectful and firm with me. We spoke about the battles of alcohol. I signed a lease with him and a week later I was approached by my sponsor and offered to move into a two-bedroom apartment.”

Coun. Dick said everyone who knew Mack knew he was firm in his dealings and he described how he feared approaching him to try and break his lease. He was astonished at Mr. Wilson’s response.

“When I told him, he looked at me and said, ‘your sobriety was more important than my lease and I will shred this lease for you Andrew’,” Mr. Dick said. “His act of kindness truly changed the course of my life and I will be forever grateful for his generosity.”

After the formal presentations, which included the presentation of three scrolls from Mayor Tom Sidney, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski and MP Cheryl Gallant, Jim Wilson called on his family to come forward to unveil the park sign and pose for a family photo beside a plaque located at the base of a sign.

The plaque reads: In Memory of Mack Wilson, “Nothing Worth Doing Is Completed In A Lifetime” 1938-2017

Bruce McIntyre, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eganville Leader