Former long-serving Waterloo Region chair Ken Seiling is slated to be inducted later this month into the Grand Valley Construction Association’s (GVCA) Hall of Fame.
The award recognizes an individual who has made a difference in both the community and the construction industry, GVCA president Martha George said in an email.
“Ken has done this (made a difference) in many ways,” she said. “During his term as chair, the region grew and construction benefitted from this growth.
“The ION, which is the light rail transit system, was installed under his watch and has stimulated tremendous growth in Waterloo Region. Ken has been recognized by many organizations and is very well respected.”
Seiling retired last fall as regional chair after serving a record 33 years. He has since been appointed a special adviser to the Ontario government. The province is moving ahead with a review of regional government.
In an interview, Seiling said he was honoured to be nominated to join the GVCA’s Hall of Fame. He will be formally inducted Feb. 26 at the association’s annual general meeting in Kitchener.
I had a strong desire to protect our rural areas and our farmlands
— Ken Seiling
Former Waterloo Region Chair
“But I don’t think this is so much about me as it is a reflection on the kinds of relationships we’ve had with various groups,” he said.
“While there have been differences (of opinion) at times, we’ve always managed to work together and respect each other.
“So, I think they are really recognizing the great working relationships that we have in the region.”
A life-long resident of Elmira, Ont., Seiling was elected Waterloo Region chair in 1985 after serving as a councillor in rural Woolwich Township and then the township’s mayor.
During his more than three decades as chair, Seiling guided the region through an extended period of growth.
In doing so, he sought a balanced approach, being neither rabidly pro-development nor anti-development.
“I had a strong desire to protect our rural areas and our farmlands and our environmentally sensitive areas,” he said.
“But at the same time, I felt that we needed to provide for growth and economic development in our urban areas.”
The region, which encompasses the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge as well as four townships, has a current population of almost 600,000. It is the fourth largest community in Ontario.
“I always kept a finger on the pulse of what was going on in various sectors, including construction,” Seiling said.
He is particularly proud of the regional growth management strategy which was created in 2003 to guide future plans for the community.
The goals were to protect farmland, provide greater transportation choice and build vibrant urban places.
These goals were included in the regional plan approved by the province in December 2010.
The plan also anticipated a rapid transit system to encourage growth within the region’s core areas and to move people more efficiently within those areas.
During his term as the region’s chair, Seiling also worked with political parties of all stripes at the provincial level.
“My approach was to maintain good relationships with all the parties, regardless of which one was in power,” he said. “I felt you need to work with them and offer your best advice.”
Last month, Seiling received the Waterloo Region Record’s Barnraiser Award, which recognizes outstanding community leadership. It was presented at an event at the Waterloo Region Museum which has been renamed after him.
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