Part of Bowmont Park to be renamed, honouring former Ald. Dale Hodges

Calgary will name part of a northwest park after Dale Hodges, who served for 30 years as the area's representative on city council.

Hodges was first elected in 1983 as the alderman for Ward 1, a position he held for 10 straight terms before retiring from council in 2013. Those termsmade Hodgesthe city's longest-ever serving politician at the municipal level.

The current council voted unanimously Monday to rename EastBowmontPark inHodges' honour.

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Severalcouncillorsspoke about their former colleague.

"You took me under your wing and shared your wisdom," saidCoun.DruhFarrell.

"And it was a gentle wisdom but I came to treasure it, so it's a good day."

Coun. WardSutherland, who won the seat vacated byHodges, called him "a great steward for the parks."

"Not onlyBownessPark but all the surrounding parks andBowmontPark, and this is just a natural extension," he said.

Coun. BrianPincott, who earlierannounced he will not run in this fall's election, said he cherished his working relationship withHodges.

"He was a mentor;he was a friend. I loved getting to know him and getting beyond that gruff exterior he worked so hard to cultivate," Pincottsaid.

"And every time I managed to make him giggle publicly, I considered it a victory."

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