On September 18th, 2020 John Belvedere, the mayor of Pointe-Claire, and members of City Council came together to honour the legacy of late CFL All-Star, Tony Proudfoot. The City of Pointe-Claire is proud to introduce this inclusive park, dedicated to Tony Proudfoot, to the community in the presence of Mr. Proudfoot’s family.
Tony was a long-time Pointe-Claire resident who graduated from John Rennie High School in 1966. He then went on to play for the Montreal Alouettes and British Columbia Lions. He won the Grey Cup with the Alouettes in 1974 and 1977 Tony remained very active in his community as a journalist, teacher, and coach. These are just a few of the many reasons that Pointe-Claire residents voted to name the park after Mr. Proudfoot.
In 2007, Tony was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as ALS / Lou Gehrig's disease,) which is why it’s fitting that this park has been specially adapted to meet the needs of people with mobility or accessibility issues. Upon his diagnosis, Tony created the Tony Proudfoot Fund to help increase the quality of life for those suffering from ALS and support medical research.
Greg Kelley, MNA Deputy - Federal, on the park’s inauguration, “I am happy to see that Tony Proudfoot will be remembered by our community with this park. He was a great Montrealer and Canadian but more importantly a loving father to an amazing family. He was an athlete and teacher who I know is smiling looking down at his grandchildren and other children playing in a park and remaining active outdoors. It is a great initiative by the City, the Mayor, and the Councillors.”
This park is a first of its kind on the island of Montréal. The adapted amenities that it features cater to many communities, which serves Mr. Proudfoot's legacy of inclusivity well. There’s even a climber dome that features a calm interior space for children in need of a break or those with sensory disorders.
For those interested in checking out this stunning park, it’s located in the new Quartier Greenwich development. In the meantime, scroll through the gallery to view some of the available adapted amenities.
Photos by Becky Donohue.
Source: City of Pointe-Claire.
