One of North Bay's most respected mayors, Bruce Goulet, has passed just two months short of his 100th birthday.
The family says he died last night at the Nipissing Manor Nurse Care Centre in Corbeil, where he had lived the past several years.
Clarence John “Bruce" Goulet, was born on May 16, 1922.
According to his obituary, he joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in 1942 and served in the United Kingdom, Central Mediterranean and Continental Europe in WWII.
He returned to Toronto after the war in 1946 at the age of 23 and married his wife Jacqueline “Jackie” on November 13, 1948. They moved to North Bay in 1950 shortly after the birth of their first son Michael, and then son Paul born was in 1951
Goulet held three jobs as a taxi driver, wrestling announcer, and office equipment service technician in North Bay until he joined J.A. Doddemeade, a representative of the Office Specialty Mfg. Co. located in North Bay.
In 1954 he opened his own business, Bruce Office Supply on Cassells Street, and then, as the business grew, he expanded to a larger location, buying the Zellers department store building bridging both Main and Oak Streets which acted as the first connecting walkway for shoppers in the city’s downtown.
He then expanded again to a separate location directly across Main Street; a unique selection of giftware boutiques named La Promenade in the former Bank of Nova Scotia building. The unique building still exists today as "The Abbey" under different ownership.
Goulet was active in the community, serving on several boards and commissions including terms as President of the Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Rotary Club of North Bay, and President of the Dominion Day (Canada Day).Committee
He was also a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion, as well as a former member of the United Nations Club of North Bay.
He became progressively active in municipal politics starting in 1960 as an alderman, then as Deputy Mayor and then as Mayor from 1971 – 1973.
Along with many others, Bruce pushed for the preservation of the North Bay waterfront as a “people place” which would connect and integrate with the city’s downtown and offer North Bay and the region unique access to the Lake Nipissing shoreline..
He named the section of land and the concept “The Golden Mile”
On September 1, 2008 a sign declaring a section of Memorial Drive on the waterfront the “Goulet Golden Mile” was unveiled by then-Mayor Vic Fedeli.
Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have given freely of their time and talent to make it so.
See: Goulet's Golden Mile
"Those of us who grew up in North Bay remember what this area looked like in the 1950s and 60s there was no roadway; no Memorial Drive back then," said then-mayor Vic Fedelit at the time. "Where we stand today was inaccessible, dirty, littered with derelict buildings. Other than the Government Dock, you could not get to Lake Nipissing. The only view was a look into the future ... the picture in our mind of a Golden Mile of beach, Bruce's Golden Mile."
Contacted Sunday by BayToday, Fedeli called Goulet "one of the best leaders the city had; his vision of the Golden Mile became reality and cements his legacy."
On July 26, 2012 Bruce Goulet was honoured along with five other inaugural members with a place on North Bay’s Walk of Fame.
In 2015, he was one of 50 select Canadians and groups to be presented with a special commemorative flag in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Canada’s national flag. The Government presented this proud Canadian symbol to individuals and organizations who had contributed significantly to the well-being of fellow citizens.
"Bruce Goulet will be forever known as one of North Bay's iconic citizens," said Jay Aspin. "His contributions to business and community service to our city
are remarkable. He was truly a citizen devoted and dedicated to this city and its citizens. His forward thinking shall ever be remembered in terms of his advocacy of the waterfront as our "Golden Mile". He was truly a gentleman among gentlemen."
Bruce’s wife, partner and “love of his life” Jackie passed away on October 18, 2014.
Bruce’s son Michael is retired and lives in Burlington with his wife Carol and his younger son.
Paul is retired and resides in Belleville with his wife Louise.
His family will receive friends at the Martyn Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 16, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at the Martyn Funeral Home on Thursday, March 17 at 11 a.m.
See the full obituary here.
Burial will take place this spring at the North Bay Union Cemetery. If desired, donations to the Red Cross/Ukraine fund would be gratefully acknowledged as expressions of sympathy.
Online condolences at www.martynfh.com