Leonard Margolis. (submitted photo/Margolis Family)

By Mat Barrett

Pillar of the Community

Long-time Kinistino mayor passes after lengthy health battle

Feb 10, 2021 | 11:42 AM

The community of Kinistino recently lost a major part of its community.

Mayor Leonard Margolis passed away last week at the age of 77 after a series of health issues.

Deputy Mayor Mark Powalinsky was saddened to hear of Margolis’ passing. Powalinsky has served on council for eight years and told northeastNOW it was Margolis that originally encouraged him to run for a council seat.

“I felt that he was inviting me for a purpose,” Powalinsky said. “I like to think that purpose was to add something to the council chambers. I was very flattered.”

Powalinsky said Margolis was a pillar of the community who was dedicated to the betterment of the community.

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“Words that describe him are dedicated, resourceful, pioneer, an ambassador, an entrepreneur, a supporter, and a leader,” Powalinsky said. “I personally considered him a mentor and a friend.”

There is a feeling of loss with Margolis’s passing, he said. He wishes Margolis was still able to mentor him and other future councillors and mayors.

Margolis was on council in some fashion throughout the last seven decades. He first was elected as a councillor in 1965 where he served until 1967. Margolis rejoined the chambers in 1974 and had been there ever since, first as a councillor until 1981 and then as mayor in 1982 until his passing.

During his time on council, Margolis had a hand in a number of projects and boards. One of the most significant was constructing the Kinistino Sports Complex in the 1970s, home of the curling rink and the hockey arena. Margolis was also active with the Junior B Tigers around the time they won the Western Canada Championship in 1992.

Some of the success of Communities in Bloom can be attributed to Margolis and his councils because of their work together providing support, Powalinsky said. He believes it’s due to Margolis’s efforts that Kinistino is the envy of other small towns when it comes to infrastructure, roads and sidewalks.

Margolis was always an outside of the box thinker, Powalinsky said.

“Whoever coined the phrase, ‘think outside the box,’ probably came upon that after having a chat with [Leonard],” _{-Mark Powalinsky}

During his eight years on council, Powalinsky always seemed to come out of the meeting thinking he learned something new, he said, adding Margolis had extensive knowledge about the town.

“His recall of both people, and politics and whatnot in the community was enviable and un-reproducible,” he said.

The next mayor will have big shoes to fill, Powalinsky said, and will need to rely a lot on teamwork and the expertise that comes from councillors and the public.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6