Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given has said his final official goodbyes to fellow members of council as the long-serving politician chaired his final council meeting on Monday.
“A lot of mixed emotions and I’m sure if I think too hard about it right now, I’d get very emotional,” he says.
Given says while his last day on the job isn’t until the end of the month, he wanted to let the community know how appreciative he is of the graciousness shown by everyone in the city.
“I’m very grateful to serve my community in the way that I have and very grateful to the community members who have invited me into their celebrations and have been willing to share their knowledge and wisdom with me over the years,”
Given adds the lasting memories he will take with him are too many to list, however, he says he will remain forever grateful for what he calls the honour and a pleasure to be a part of so many milestones in the city.
“There are obviously milestones that I remember, but wouldn’t take any credit for, things like opening the Eastlink Centre, the Downtown Improvement Program, opening new parks across the city, working with community leaders to secure the new hospital,” he says.
Given suggests that the future will take some getting used to, he is confident that the best days for Grande Prairie lay ahead, and he is excited to see what that future will look like.