John Cary loved Mimico and was a former president of the Mimico Residents Association
Next month will mark two years since the death of super-volunteer John Cary, a tree lover and former president of the Mimico Residents Association (MRA).
A collection drive was initiated to purchase a memorial tree to honour Cary through the City of Toronto, which was planted in Humber Bay Park West, which Cary loved.
He is remembered by members of the MRA, on which he served as president for two years and board member for five.
John Cary is best remembered for his wide knowledge of trees in our area.
Area resident Mary Bella said Cary worked with Maple Leaves Forever for more than six years, where he coordinated a rebate program, liaised with nurseries and provided valuable insight and information about tree care, planting and species.
Cary died on January 20, 2022 at the age of 79.
“John was highly intelligent and principled, but more importantly a kind and gracious man,” Bella wrote. “He appreciated formal structure in our meetings and always made sure everyone got heard, was respectful and did not speak over each other.”
She said he gave generously of his time volunteering with Trees Ontario, the Ontario Forestry Association, his local tennis club, the Don Rowing Club and the MRA.
A tree planted in a Humber Bay West park in memory of John Cary.
Cary was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and was a coxswain who was involved in winning the Junior Championship VIIIs, and the 1967 Home International Regatta VIIIs representing Ireland.
He started a long career with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Thunder Bay in 1977.
He and wife Catherine moved to Guyana in 1978 to work for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
He served in a planning and policy capacity at the Whitney Block in Queen’s Park and from 1988-1994 and was an important influencer in a landmark class timber Environmental Assessment on Crown Lands.
Mimico community members remember volunteer John Cary
Cary served under many Ontario governments and was involved in contentious issues such as the softwood lumber disputes and creating parks and conservation areas.
After retirement he worked as a consultant for the first Independent Forest Audits in Ontario and afforestation in southern Ontario.
He was a volunteer with the Trees Ontario Foundation and the Ontario Forestry Association, which merged into Forests Ontario and a long-time member and past president of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association, where he received numerous awards.
Cary was the project manager for the construction of a new clubhouse for which he was gifted the John R. Cary Volunteer award.
As a volunteer with the Don Rowing Club for several years, he chaired their Board and continued to cox in regattas in Canada and the U.S.
In 2003, Cary was instrumental in helping to re-establish the Trinity Dublin alumni group in Toronto and organized the annual dinners for many years
He was a volunteer for various projects in Mimico in addition to heading the MRA.