Dale Hodges, of Calgary, AB, Longest-Serving Alderman Has Passed Away After Illness at 82

Dale Hodges, of Calgary, AB, Longest-Serving Alderman Has Passed Away After Illness at 82

Dale Hodges Obituary, Death cause: Calgary, AB – Dale Hodges, the city’s longest-serving alderman with 30 years on city council, has died at the age of 82, his family announced Sunday. Hodges passed away peacefully on December 31 at Agape Hospice after battling a prolonged illness.

Hodges was first elected to represent Calgary’s Ward 1 in 1983 and went on to serve 10 consecutive terms through 2013. Over his prolific career, he sat on numerous important boards and committees dealing with issues like transit, urban planning and parking.

“Dale will be greatly missed by Yvonne, his wife of 52 years, family and friends,” his family said in a statement.

Public Servant Who Championed Community
Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who served with Hodges for three years, said he personified what it meant to be a true public servant.

“He never forgot that public services, libraries, parks, and the things that improve people’s lives every day are really what matter and that is what he always championed. And it was a lesson I’ve never forgotten,” Nenshi told CBC News.

Key Role in Developing Beloved Public Parks
Some of Hodges’ proudest accomplishments were his contributions to Calgary’s public parks, including preservation efforts for Bowmont Park, Nose Hill Park and Baker Park.

“Those kinds of spaces where people gather, where people live in community was what was important to him,” Nenshi said.

In 2017, a portion of Bowmont Park was named Dale Hodges Park to honor his dedication to the area.

Target of Hells Angels Bomb Plot
Hodges made headlines in 1999 when he played a key role in demolishing a Hells Angels clubhouse in Bowness. This made him the target of a foiled bomb plot by a former president of the motorcycle gang’s Calgary chapter.