'Always think about the people': City of Waterloo remembers former mayor James Bauer
In 1960, James Bauer was just 31 years old when he was elected as Waterloo's mayor.
Today, he still holds the record for being the youngest mayor to ever hold the title in that city.
The former alderman and family businessman passed away on Thursday at age 95.
In his obituary, he's remembered as a dedicated and well-loved husband, father and grandfather. In a statement released Monday, officials at the City of Waterloo said he will be mourned as a man of vision.
The release details the projects Bauer spearheaded during his time as mayor. These range from the development of Waterloo Square in 1961, a project that would be "deemed as one of the most courageous and ambitious ever undertaken by any North American municipality," to the development of new residential areas, a sewage disposal plant and additions to Waterloo Collegiate Institute in 1965.
He would later serve as chairman of the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) for 25 years, and then take up various roles within the Canadian Water Resources Association, including executive director, until his retirement.
The city's release said Bauer spent "considerable time during his tenure as mayor promoting improved planning for the future betterment of Waterloo."
Current Mayor Dorothy McCabe said that when she spoke with Bauer in 2023, his advice to her was to "always think about the people."
"He really did have a good vision for a city that was much smaller than Waterloo is now, but had a really good vision for what it could look like in the future," McCabe said.
"The changes that they made under his leadership in the early 1960s really changed Uptown and laid out the framework for what it is today. So we really thank him for his service, thank his family and offer our condolences at this time."
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