Staff
Naming the soccer pitches at the St. Francis Sportsfield after the late Struchan Gilson took another step forward after the Northwest Catholic District School Board endorsed the move at its monthly meeting here Saturday morning.
“[Gilson] deserves to have the soccer pitches named in his honour,” said Fort Frances trustee Harold Huntley, who praised Gilson for his role as an educator.
“He was a real student-oriented teacher and our students in town benefitted greatly,” he remarked.
Gilson was the phys. ed. co-ordinator at the public school board for many years, noted Huntley, and continued to do the same work as a teacher even when this position ended.
“Because of him, we used to have inter-school sports of all kinds, and certainly he was as inclusive of our kids in the things that were happening within the community as anyone could possibly be.”
Gilson, who was serving on town council when he passed away suddenly in August, 2005 at the age of 63, was active in promoting soccer locally over the years, including helping to bring it to Fort Frances High School.
Town council approved the recommendation for naming the pitches after Gilson in early December, and sought approval from the Catholic board as per the joint use agreement.
The whole area will remain known as the St. Francis Sportsfield.
Now that the move has been endorsed by the Catholic board, the matter will return to the St. Francis Sportsfield management committee, which then will report back to town council with its final decision.
