Skip to content

Elliot Lake Recreation and Culture Manager Darla Hennessey retires

Resignation sparks council wellspring of praise for 25 years' service
USED 2018-08-15 Good Morning Elliot Lake-4
Kris Svela for ElliotLakeToday

At Tuesday night's virtual meeting of Elliot Lake City Council, councillors reluctantly accepted Recreation and Culture Manager Darla Hennessey's letter of resignation.

Manager of Recreation is the most recent of her job titles after 25 of service in various roles serving the City of Elliot Lake.

Hennessey has had many, including Curator of the Elliot Lake Nuclear and Mining Museum, along with other positions, mostly in the Department of  Recreation.

After councillors and staff got finished paying tributes to their retiring employee, the common descriptive denominator for Hennessey's service could be summed up as a dedicated volunteer, persuasive organizer, strong manager and community booster.

"No words can say our amount of appreciation from my whole family for your dedication and devotion to the municipality and just making every event great," Mayor Dan Marchisella said, his voice cracking with emotion, "Darla would be at events like the drag races before anyone else even showed up."

"This community would not be the community that we have today if it wasn't for you," Coun. Sandy Finamore said. "You're very humble. Probably the most humble person I've ever met in my life. So you won't be happy that we're even talking about you in such a loving and grateful way."  

"Darla Hennessey is the only person that I know who could convince me to stand on the ice at minus 30 degrees for four hours and have fun doing it. She always made working with her fun," Coun. Ed Pearce said.

Coun. Chris Patrie denied the mayor's assertion that he shed a tear about Hennessey's retirement. 

"I am very happy for Darla and wished her a happy birthday this morning. She knows I know what it takes to do what she does, the dedication and the work," he added.

"There's a lot of events that are absolutely to her credit. She has always been there when needed through that," Coun. Norman Mann said. "And as an individual who will always regularly see her earlier on in her career with the Museum with my father. It's something that I've always held her in a great deal of respect for.""



Comments


About the Author: Brent Sleightholm

As a reporter, Brent has covered everything from amateur and professional sports, to politics, entertainment, police and courts, to human interest stories and government issues
Read more