Editor’s Note: Patrick Zelney, candidate for Councillor in Madawaska Valley, provided the following statement in response to The Current’s request:
My roots run deep in the Valley. I’m a third-generation Valley boy. My uncle built the first motel here, the one now known as the Pinewood Inn. As a young adult, I moved to Toronto for a couple of years, where I worked for Mercury Corp. X-Ray and Professional Equipment. I worked with people from several different countries and from different walks of life.
I married a Toronto girl, and we eventually decided that Barry’s Bay would be a better place to raise a family. We later discovered that her roots here run even deeper than mine, going back to 1859 in Wilno.
During my lifetime, I have seen a lot of change throughout Madawaska Valley Township. My dad worked at the last sawmill in Barry’s Bay before it closed permanently. I watched the last passenger train leave Barry’s Bay on its final run; my Uncle Joe worked for the railway out of Eganville. I remember when Paugh Lake Road was eight inches of mud in the spring, and now it’s a smooth, paved road. Change is inevitable, and I’ve learned that communities have to adapt while still remembering where they came from.
Giving back to the community has always been important to me. Over the years, I’ve volunteered as a Boy Scout leader, coached house-league hockey for the Barry’s Bay Bears and competitive hockey for the Eganville Eagles, served on our local minor hockey executive, and volunteered at fundraising events for minor hockey and Timberfest.
There is a good mix of people running for Council. Being retired, I feel I’m able to devote the time needed to serve Madawaska Valley. I have no great plans to change Madawaska Valley. I want to help guide the municipality through whatever changes come next, while keeping taxes reasonable and respecting the community we’ve inherited.
The only promise I can make is that I will listen to our taxpayers and work with my fellow councillors to resolve issues and improve life in our community for all who live here. Residents who know me have stopped to talk to me on the street while I’m out walking my dog. People who don’t know me are welcome—and encouraged—to stop and chat with me. I walk my chocolate Lab, Cocoa, several times a day, and I’m usually easy to find. If you don’t recognize me, you may recognize my “campaign manager.”
I wish all candidates good luck!
Patrick Zelney (Pat)
Photo submitted