Plaque honouring local resident unveiled at Greenwood Park

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

While he lived in Shelburne, Alex Carter was very involved in the community in various events and committees.

He was a huge supporter of minor soccer and was a member of Shelburne's Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee.

Alex passed away suddenly on Sept. 27, 2023, however, his legacy lives on.

He touched the lives of many people during his time in Shelburne and as a testament to the good works he did here, a bench and memorial plaque was unveiled at Brigans Field in Greenwood Park, where soccer is played. The plaque was unveiled during a ceremony held on Saturday, Sept. 27, and it was attended by many friends, family, and local residents. Alex's wife Bella unveiled the plaque.

Member of Shelburne Town Council, and Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee member, Lindsay Wegener, spearheaded the initiative to honour Alex with the plaque.

“Bella and Alex were both members of the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Committee,” Lindsay explained. “When they first moved to the town, I remember them attending council meetings. From there, they wanted to know what they could do to be a part of the community. I told them there were some committees and volunteering is big as well. When I heard of his passing last year, I was distraught, and was wondering what we could do. I knew that he was active with the soccer club, he created the Dufferin Film Association. I brought it up at one of the meetings and suggested we do something for both Bella and Alex. We knew how much he loved soccer and he loved seeing the kids on the field.”

It was decided that a bench with a memorial plaque would be appropriate.

“This means that every day counts,” Bella said of reflecting on her loss and the memorial plaque. “He was on the soccer executive, the parent's council, he was very active. Every time he was in the line at No Frills, he would speak to kids and ask them if they signed up for soccer. I think this plaque is a real honour because it shows that the work we do as volunteers is not invisible – it doesn't go unnoticed. People notice it –  we may just not realize it, because we just do it. Alex was very involved.”

The plaque and bench are situated where someone can watch a soccer game from the sidelines.

Many friends, family, and local residents turned out to honour Alex and be there when the plaque was unveiled.