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Ward dismissed as Rec Director

Five months after a group of concerned citizens first approached council to discuss rumours that the town’s popular recreation director was to be dismissed, the Town of St.

Five months after a group of concerned citizens first approached council to discuss rumours that the town’s popular recreation director was to be dismissed, the Town of St. Paul confirmed that Gary Ward was no longer in the position, as of Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Ward confirmed the news of the dismissal, stressing it was not his decision to leave.

“This is my dream job – this is my passion, this is my love,” he said, adding he was “very sad not to be with the town anymore,” working alongside people he called among the best groups in the province, if not Canada.

“They bust their butts for the town – I’m very, very proud of them and the job they do,” he said.

Ward declined to give more information about the reasons provided for his dismissal, until he had time to talk to his legal counsel.

Mayor Glenn Andersen deferred questions on the matter to Town CAO Holly Habiak, saying council had nothing to do with the decision, a point that Habiak stressed.

“Council can’t do this. It’s totally administration’s decision.”

Habiak, who became the town’s official CAO last month, said that she was getting a list of what needed to be done and would be supporting Parks and Recreation as needed. The town would eventually be posting the position, she added.

See next week’s St. Paul Journal for more details on this story.

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