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Former Alliston and New Tecumseth councillor Aiden Whelan passed away Friday morning (April 14) in his 76th year at Toronto General Hospital surrounded by family. In his honour, the flags at the Town Hall are flying at half-mast.

The highest Mr. Whelan climbed on the political ladder was deputy reeve of Alliston over 20 years ago. However, the fact he was "only" a councillor for the majority of his three decades in office belies the fact he was a dominant force on the local political landscape, particularly through the 1990s where he played key roles in the expansions of water and wastewater systems in Alliston.

Brian Gauley, who was clerk/administrator/director in pre-amalgamated Alliston and New Tecumseth, worked closely with Mr. Whelan through the growing years.

"Aiden was foremost a family man. He loved his family, was a dear friend to many and as councillor he worked tirelessly to improve the Town and its amenities," Mr. Gauley wrote in an email to Free Press Online. "Aiden had both a real and strong conviction to improving the Town's infrastructure, knowing it was the correct or right thing in the long term, notwithstanding the popularity or not of those decisions. The former Town of Alliston and the present Town of New Tecumseth has been served well by Aiden. He will surely be missed by many."

New Tecumseth deputy mayor Rick Milne, who was a mayor of Alliston, remembers Aiden as "a strong political figure in the community for twenty some years."

"He always worked hard, and if he believed in the cause he would go right to the end for it. For a number of years I sat on council with him, he was very firm in his belief," said Mr. Milne. " I remember one of my council meetings when I was the mayor, we were discussing some matter, we used to have water glasses and water on the table, Aiden got upset that things were slowing down, and all of a sudden this great big hammer of a paw of his came down on the table and there were glasses of flying water and we very quickly got back on the topic again. He was a gentle giant in many ways."

Mr. Milne also remembers Aiden as an athlete who excelled at sports like boxing and lacrosse.

"He was one guy you never wanted to go into the corners with because you'd come out second best."

Mayor Mike MacEachern, whose first term on council in 1998, would be Mr. Whelan's last, said that while there wasn't always agreement on particular issues, that there was no questioning his commitment to the town.

"You may not have always agreed with him but he was heavily involved in the Town and would tell you what he thought," said Mr. MacEachern, "He was my council partner for Ward 1 in my initial term of Council and I found him to be encouraging and always a strong supporter of Alliston. He was a problem solver and had no time for the process. He wanted results. I truly was lucky to have known him and to have worked with him."

Mr. Whelan did not only leave a mark on local politics. He retired as the maintenance supervisor at Stevenson Memorial Hospital. He was a 27-year member of the Alliston Fire Department, and a volunteer with the Alliston Ambulance service. He was a member of the Alliston Lion's Club, and the Adjala-Tosorontio and West Gwillimbury Conservation Club. And he was a parishoner of St. Paul the Apostle and Immaculate Conception in Adjala.

He is survived by his wife Norene (Murphy) and his four children, Philip, Teresa, Sean and Michael.