Community shares memories of Bill Clement

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This article was published 13/05/2010 (5956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Grant Nordman still remembers facing off against Bill Clement when the two were youngsters playing minor hockey.

The two eventually wound up on the same team as Winnipeg city councillors — Nordman for the St. Charles ward and Clement for Charleswood-Tuxedo.

Nordman was still coming to grips with the loss of Clement late last week.

Clement, 61, died April 3 as a result of complications from lymphoma cancer.  Nordman said he will never forget his colleague’s tenacious nature on the ice or in the political arena.

“Bill’s knuckles were on the end of somebody’s nose more than once and that’s kind of the same kind of determination he showed in fighting cancer,” Nordman remembers.

“I’ve just got the utmost admiration for him because although we all knew what he was going through around here, he didn’t want any special attention or accommodations to suit him.”

Nordman said there was far more to Clement than the tough exterior many people remember.

“The exterior coating on the outside was pretty rough and grumbly, but he was a pretty tender heart on the inside,” he said.

Restaurateur Jimmy Siwicki knew Clement for more than 30 years. He remembers how Clement used to enjoy holding court whenever he visited his Silver Heights Restaurant and Lounge.

“He’d be sitting at the bar and all the guys would come up and ask him questions about Charleswood and he’d laugh and say ‘I came here to get away from all of that,’” Siwicki remembered.

Co-owner Tony Siwicki said that he will miss Clement’s infectious laughter. He and his father have already begun discussing a way to honour Clement’s memory at their establishment.

Clement was the city’s longest continuous serving councillor. He represented Charleswood and Tuxedo from 1983 until his death.

Coun. Scott Fielding (St. James-Assiniboia) said that Clement acted as a mentor to him following his own election to city council in 2006.

“From my initial three-and-a-half years on council, Bill Clement is the one that I’ve learned the most from on how to get things done in your community,” said Fielding, who served on the Assiniboia community committee with Nordman and Clement.

“He was a very big figure at city hall in terms of his opinion, in terms of learning things, and in terms of changing and challenging people’s opinions.”

Fielding said Clement’s passing will leave a void on city council when it comes to historical knowledge of the city.

“A lot of times we’d look to Bill to find the historical reasons why council decided to do one thing, because down the line when the same decision makers weren’t there you’d wonder why the decisions were made in the first place,” he said.

Fielding said the creation of the Harte Trail and the Charleswood Parkway will be part of Clement’s legacy.

A byelection to replace Clement will not be held prior to this fall’s civic election, a spokesperson for the city said.

Until a new councilor is elected in October, the Mayor Sam Katz’s office will be handling all calls to Clement’s office.

A memorial service was held for Clement at Charleswood United Church on May 8.

A book of condolences is available for the public to sign at city hall, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and will be available until May 19.

For those unable to attend, an online book of condolences is available at www.winnipeg.ca.

trevor.suffield@canstarnews.com