On January 31, 2024, the Winter River–Tracadie Bay Watershed Association lost a valuable supporter with the death of George Coade.
George had a keen interest in and a passion for the environment in both his personal and professional lives. George’s family knew this and supported his work with the Watershed Association.
In the spring of 2010 George joined the Watershed Association ‘s Board of Directors bringing with him a strong skill set. Very quickly George showed a commitment to the Watershed by taking on the executive position of treasurer. He held this position for 5 years and then accepted the position of Chair of the Board for 6 years. During his last two years as a Board member George held the position of Vice Chair, ensuring a positive transition for the new Chair. George’s leadership skills kept the work of the Association focused and reflective of the needs of the watershed.
Besides holding executive positions with the Association, George was very active on committees. Two committees of special interest to him were the Field Committee which developed a work plan for summer field seasons and the Water Committee which collaborated with the City of Charlottetown and the Provincial Government to ensure that water extraction by the City did not exceed the watershed’s capacity. In addition, George freely offered his time to ensure summer staff had the required skills to work safely with chainsaws.
In 2008, an organization committee began the work of forming the Winter River – Tracadie Bay Watershed Association. When George joined the Board of Directors in 2010, he helped create the Watershed Management Plan. George’s attention to detail was of immeasurable value in creating a document that still stands today.
After he stepped down as a Board member in 2022, George continued to actively support the watershed with his skills and knowledge of both the watershed and the Association. George will be greatly missed.