Councillor who brought bike lanes to Kelowna dies

KELOWNA – Former City Councillor Elise Clark, who served Kelowna from 1973 to 1994, passed away recently.

In a tribute to Clark, Mayor Walter Gray remembered her as a passionate advocate for women’s rights, social causes and the environment.

“(She) was a real crusader to take a chance and talk about the importance of preserving the environment,” Gray said. “That was back in the days when talking about the environment wasn’t a particularly popular subject.”

Clark was raised in Tofield, Alberta and received her Nursing Degree from the University of Alberta in 1951. She married R.C.A.F. Officer Robert Clark in 1953 with whom she had two daughters. She moved to Kelowna in 1965 where she worked as a public health nurse until 1970.

During her decades in Kelowna, Clark worked for the United Way, the John Howard Society and the Kiwanis Music Festival and was one of the first women elected to Kelowna Council.

Among her many accomplishments, Clark successfully proposed the City of Kelowna add a “Woman of the year award” to the Civic Awards, established the Kelowna Women’s Emergency Shelter, S.H.A.R.E., Crisis Line and Advice Services Kelowna. She also chaired the first Bicycle Committee, bringing bike lanes to the city.

A memorial service for Elise Clark is scheduled for the spring.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca, call (250) 718-0428 or tweet @AdamProskiw.