THE City of North Vancouver will rename Boulevard Park in memory of former Senator Ray Perrault.
The city announced last week it had chosen the name for the 3.4 hectare park, which is bounded by East 13th Street, Moody Avenue, East 15th Street and West Grand Boulevard, to honour the long-serving local politician.
Perrault served North Vancouver as a Liberal MLA, MP and Senator over a 42-year political career. He retired from the Senate in 2001, and died in 2008 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
"My family and I are absolutely thrilled with this idea, and we are very, very grateful to the community for bestowing this great honour on him," said Perrault's wife Barbara, a former teacher and City of North Vancouver councillor.
Describing her husband as a "baseball nut" who also loved tennis and track and field, Barbara said the dedication was fitting for a man who championed physical activity. As a senator, Perrault served as Member of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport.
Boulevard Park, which has tennis courts, playing fields and a playground, was well-used by the Perrault family, who moved to the neighbourhood in the 1950s.
"Our children played soccer on that field, they played as little tots in the playground, we walked our dog in the park," said Barbara.
The space will be renamed at a ceremony later this fall.
