The City of Kelowna has lost a dedicated former politician.
On Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Tom Dyas sent his condolences to the family of Al Horning, a former city councillor, MLA and MP.
Horning passed away at the age of 83.
“Kelowna is a better place because of Al Horning’s countless contributions,” said Dyas on his Facebook page.
“He represents the epitome of community service. To honour that service, the city’s flags will be at half-mast on the day of his service.”
From working on the YLW International Airport expansion to focusing on recreation and business development in Kelowna, he touched many parts of the city throughout his career.
Horning joined Kelowna City Council in 1980 and served four two-year terms before moving onto the House of Commons of Canada for the conservatives.
In 2005, he was elected to the legislative assembly of BC and represented Kelowna-Lake Country.
He did not run again in the 2009 provincial election.
Earlier this year, mayor Dyas announced that the city would be naming a future road after Horning to recognize and honour his contributions to both the airport and Rutland.
The future Al horning Way will provide secondary access from YLW to Rutland.
“Serving his community in many ways – from Parliament Hill to the ball diamonds of Rutland – Al has spent his entire life working to improve his neighbourhood and his city,” Dyas noted at the ceremony held in February.
Horning was also a valued member of the local snowmobile and baseball communities and was inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
The City of Kelowna has issued the following statement on the passing of Al:
“Kelowna City Council and staff join with so many people in our community who knew Al Horning in expressing sincere condolences to his family and many friends.
It goes without saying that our community is a better place because of Al Horning. His many years of public service in three levels of government and at the grassroots level produced benefits for generations of Kelowna residents and businesses.
He motivated improvements in Kelowna, helping us grow from humble agricultural beginnings to an increasingly sophisticated economy and diverse society.
In terms of his approach to being a City Councillor, he told the Daily Courier in 2019: ‘I never wanted council to get in the way of people who wanted to do something.’
Al Horning was someone who got things done – whether it was fighting to what we needed to get bigger planes into Kelowna, or getting federal contracts for Kelowna companies like Western Star, or getting ball diamonds built, he always brought dogged determination to his work.
He represents the epitome of community service. To honour that service, the City’s flags will be at half-mast on the day of his service.
Once again, we send our condolences to Al’s family and many friends.”
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