Terry Hincks honoured at Regina city council meeting

Regina city council took time before their meeting on Monday to honour Terry Hincks.

Hincks was a city councillor for 13 years before he died Friday after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Regina city councillors observed a moment of silence before each took time to remember Hincks.

Many councillors talked about Hincks’ passion for sports and the friendships he shared with all council members.

“I think he’s going to have the very best seat in the house looking down at the new stadium. Looking down at the 50 yard line, right over top of the very centre, he will be watching everything that goes on,” said Coun. Wade Murray, who was first elected in 2003 along with Hincks.

“I know that he would have a tear in his eye right now to know how much that this community cares for him.”

Ward 8 Coun. Mike O’Donnell was friends with Hincks for 52 years and coached high school football with him for nine years.

“What he did with the kids is he made sure each and every one of them knew how he felt about them, how he respected them. He was positive, he was emotional and if you became his friend, you were his friend for life,” O’Donnell said.

“Loyalty is spelt T-E-R-R-Y.”

Sharron Bryce has also served on council since 2003 and was another friend of Hincks.

“I’m a better person for knowing Terry and I want to thank him for that. I’m going to miss his 6:30 a.m. calls, his laugh. Terry was our gentle giant, he would give you the shirt of his back if it was the last shirt he had,” Bryce said.

“Rest in peace, you deserve it and thank you for being a friend.”

Under the Local Government Election Act 2015, Hincks will remain on the ballot for the upcoming election, but no votes for him will count towards the final tally.

Hincks’ funeral will take place at the Brandt Centre Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m.

MURRAY AND FRASER’S FINAL COUNCIL MEETING

Both Ward 3’s Shawn Fraser and Ward 6’s Wade Murray are not seeking re-election in the upcoming civic election.

This was Fraser’s first term as a city councillor.

“It’s been a really great four years and if I had to sum it up, I’d say grateful, that’s what I’m feeling right now,” he said.

Fraser said he was proud to see the way people were engaged with the issues during his time on council.

“If you look at any city, what makes it great is what citizens demand of it,” Fraser said.

Murray has been on council for 13 years and is stepping down.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to represent the community of Ward 6 and the city as a whole,” he said.

Murray’s son, Joel, is running for Ward 9 councillor.

“It’s incredible. It just fills your heart up to realize that you can leave a legacy and you can pass that legacy on to someone else.”

Fraser and Murray both said the next council will need to focus on the Regina Revitalization Initiative.