On this past Friday, after working for Gatineau Park for 29 years Michel Dallaire retired. Michel was Manager of Recreational Services.
Michel was originally hired with a mandate to make Gatineau Park a world class ski destination. As he put it to me “I did a few things, some good, others not so good…let the folks speak…they’ll tell you which is which.”
So here’s your chance. I’m going to put together a tribute here at GuideGateineau.ca.
Anyone who has skied in Gatineau Park has benefited from Michel’s work. If you have particular memories or just want to wish him well please send ‘em in. Photos, video and voicemail messages particularly welcome.
I’ve set up a voicemail to MP3 number at 646-495-9205 x 60474
(area code 646 is New York City because that’s where the drop.io voicemail to mp3 service is headquartered).
Congratulations Michel!
I only had the chance to work with Michel for a breif time at the NCC before his retirement, his passion for the Park is admirable and he will be missed. Enjoy!
Met him only once. He was biking along Kingsmere, as I was walking out of the Old Chelsea picinic. I believe it was in June 2008, the day of a so-called public board meeting.
He hailed me, though I didn’t know him, and we had a friendly chat. I underlined there were a lot of things rotten with the park, and he commended me for the work I was doing on legislation, righting history etc.
Seemed a real gentleman to me, someone passionate about the park. The NCC should have let him loose on the public a lot more, since he has a strong aura of authenticity… a quality sorely lacking among senior NCC Kommissars.
I wish him well on his retirement.
If that was Michel’s mandate, then he succeeded and deserves our thanks every time we ski in Gatineau Park. We local skiers are really lucky to have had the benefit of his energy, his vision, and his personal high standards as to the quality of trails and grooming. Michel has been a solid friend and ally of the competitive Cross Country Ski community, open to suggestions and full of useful ideas. He helped us “save” two cross-country ski-races in low-snow conditions by allowing them to move to the Parkways; and was very helpful and imaginative in allowing us to close some Parkways for roller-ski training at designated times.
I first met Michel in 1992ish. I have stayed friends w/ Michel ever since. In short he is an exceptional human being. Generous, thoughtful, friendly & helpful. He once said to me he was an old style civil servant one that interacted w/ the clients. He is a rare bird because he actually spent time outside using the park. I fear that is not the case with other GP employees and because of this we will suffer more bureaucratic decisions. He really loves the park & people. I guess that is why he stayed there so long. We would see a very different park today if Michel was in a position to make changes instead of always answering to some bureaucrat.
Well I guess we knew Michel’s retirement was coming up but it doesn’t mean we welcome it. Michel has been a true advocate for skiing in the park – his influence will be missed. Many of the skiers who enjoy the excellent trail network are unaware of Michel’s influence over the years and have often been too quick to lay blame at the door of the Visitor’s Centre without appreciating what has been accomplished by Michel.
Personally I am unaware of anything that was “not so good” but much that was good.
Thanks for:
• standing up to trail contractors to ensure trail quality when it was anything but easy
• finding funds for trail improvements
• the imagination in the development of the ski network
• supporting the skiers interests
The Lafleur years are remembered with appreciation. However, less well known, is that much that was so good in those days initiated from Michel. Robert Lafleur was responsive but many of the ideas came from Michel.
The only positive thing is that – freed from the demands and stress of being a skiers’ ombudsman – Michel will have more time to be on the trails. It will be good to meet him more often.
Félicitations et merci.
One of the few in the park who actually ski and paddle, making him a voice I respected and could take seriously; he understood the true balance between recreation and conservation. If only the park could find more like him.
From Karl Saidla at XC Ottawa
http://www.xcottawa.ca/articles.php?id=2060
Michel is a very good personal friend and a friend of the community. He has often gone beyond the call of duty in supporting and promoting outdoor healthy living and sport within the Gatineau Park. Michel truly understands what it means to be an outdoor athlete and the connection to nature. Notwithstanding, Michel has been the single most important postive influence on cross-country skiing within the Gatineau Park for the last few decades.
Harry Nowell (who has a great logo http://harrynowell.com/) wrote:
“Michel is passionate about the park and skiing!
We were lucky to have him running the show rather than someone managing only from their desk.
It’s a tough job.
Now Michel gets to enjoy the park without having to deal with politics!
Have fun Michel”
Thanks Michel for your dedicated, often behind the scenes efforts to develop skiing in the park. I remember your key role in developing a solution to allow rollerskiing in the park, at a time when skiers were being ticketed and stopped from participating at all on park property. You have had a key role in the improvement in trail and grooming upgrades and making the park environment one of the prime ski areas in the world for recreational and competitive skiers alike. Your pleasant and knowledgeble approach was always welcomed, your search for a solution rather than creating a roadblock, always appreciated.
Enjoy your retirement, your positive impact on our sport has been immense.
Salut Michel,
Bravo pour toutes tes initiatives, ta patience et ta ténacité. Si on skie comme on le fait dans le parc de la Gatineau c’est grâce à ta vision. Je suis même convaincu que ce aurait été encore mieux si ce ne serait été … que de TOI !!!
En tant que skieur, ex-président de Skinouk, ex-président du Relais plein air, merci de ta franchise et de ta collaboration.
Amicalement
Pierre Trudeau, Suzanne t’embrasse !!!
via email from Alain d’Entremont, Président, Gatineau Loppet
Michel,
C’est en 1982 que j’ai eu la chance de travailler pour la 1ère fois dans le Parc de la Gatineau et de découvrir ses joyaux naturels et humains. Tu en fais parti !
La passion que j’ai développé pour le ski de fond n’est pas étrangère au temps passé à te côtoyer au fil des ans. Je salue particulièrement ta gentillesse et ton ouverture et j’espère que nous nous croisserons dans cette nouvelle étape de ta vie !
Amicalement,
Alain d’Entremont
Président
Gatineau Loppet
Michel,
Un grand merci pour toute la collaboration, l’aide et la compréhension que tu as apporté au club Skinouk dans ses démarches pour tenir des courses dans le Parc, pour le soutien à l’établissement du Relais plein air. Un grand merci des associations de quartier du centre-ville pour ta brève incursion bénévole dans le programme Ski Cool qui a rendu autonome ces autres bénévoles qui font skier dans le Parc de la Gatineau les jeunes des quarties défavorisés. Et un grand merci de ma part pour ta franchise et ton amitié.
En ce temps de grand boulversement dans ta vie, je te souhaite santé et sérénité pour les années à venir, beaucoup de ski et autres bonnes choses. Au plaisir de te revoir et de te serrer la pince et de rire ensemble.
A+
Jacques Dumont
Conseil d’administration
Club Skinouk & Relais plein air du parc de la Gatineau
Salut Michel,
j’ai essayé au Radisson de te faire parler sur les changements qu’il y a eu dans le parc depuis ton arrivée, tu as été trop humble pour vraiment me répondre ….
Faudrait que nous continuons cette conversation….
Je te remercie en tant que patrouilleur pour ton implication dans la mise en place et l’amélioration du programme des bénévolles patrouilleurs. Prends soins de toi et profites-en bien. Merci encore.
from Manfred Nagl via email
I would like to communicate that Michel is a very special person and I am happy to have met him the first time I came to Canada for Sking.
I felt erverytime very well thuring my stay there. He was also a part of my wins in Canada.
Maybe I’ll go again in Gateneau Park at the start. And think back to the old days.
Unfortunately I have no pictures. But the best memories in my brain.
Thanks, and maybe we see us …..