(Frank Wong-Twitter)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Dec. 27, 2023, age 75

Former long-time councillor and city planner Frank Wong passes away

Dec 27, 2023 | 1:12 PM

Former long-time Red Deer city councillor Frank Wong has passed away.

Mayor Ken Johnston confirmed the sad news Wednesday morning.

Johnston says Wong had been hospitalized for some time before his death on Dec. 27, 2023.

“Frank’s health had been slowly deteriorating for a while now and while certainly not a shock to us, it’s certainly marked with great sadness,” laments Johnston. “Frank was a wonderful councillor, he had an incredible sense of humour, and an incredible generosity about him as well. We missed him when he decided to retire in 2021 and we surely miss his company today, that’s for sure.”

Wong served on Red Deer city council for five consecutive terms from 2004-2021.

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It was Wong’s generosity, however, that Mayor Johnston says he will remember most about Wong in the years to come.

“That really was a hallmark for Frank. He was a very quiet but determined giver,” explains Johnston. “He contributed to many charities very quietly and very unnoticed, but those of us that knew him, knew that he had a heart for social issues, he had a heart for poverty, he had a heart for kids that were in difficult stages in their life, and so of all the things I’ll remember Frank for, it would be his extraordinary generosity.”

Wong’s contributions to the community as a councillor are also to be remembered and commended, adds Johnston.

“When I was first elected in 2013, Frank had been on council for two terms prior to me, and with his professional background as a planner, he really took pains to bring me along quickly into development issues, planning issues, zoning, things like that,” recalls Johnston. “Frank had a particular strength for being able to look at Neighbourhood Area Structure Plans (NASP) and break them down so they were quite understandable, which meant a lot to me in those days and I look back on my time then and I thank Frank many times for his patience and his diligence with me.”

Although Wong served the community of Red Deer in its entirety, he was also a well-known champion for north Red Deer in particular.

“It’s ironic that Michael (Dawe), just passed away a couple of days ago as Frank was a tireless advocate for the expansion of the G.H. Dawe on the north side and he was quite thrilled when the site was expanded to a couple of rinks and walking track and so on, because he advocated so strongly for the Dawe Centre,” shares Johnston.

Johnston notes that Frank Wong and Michael Dawe were not only colleagues, but close friends as well.

“Michael visited Frank daily during Frank’s time in the hospital,” says Johnston. “Both of these gentlemen really exemplified service. They had successful careers in their own right, and they chose to continue to build a city that they both loved, and they left their mark on the city. It’s certainly a sad time for the many folks who knew them, but my goodness, they were such great leaders. They’ll surely be missed.”

It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of City Councillor Michael Dawe, and former City Councillor Frank Wong. Our hearts go out to their families and friends who are grieving right now. They will certainly be missed in our community. pic.twitter.com/w1RM6dFWjs

— The City of Red Deer (@CityofRedDeer) December 27, 2023

Rest in peace Frank and Michael. We thank you and your families for your commitment, wisdom and dedication to #RedDeer, our community and municipal public service. https://t.co/peLuJASte4

— Dianne Wyntjes 🇨🇦 (@dianwyntjes) December 27, 2023

Mayor Johnston, along with city council, shared the following statement on Thursday.

“On behalf of my council colleagues, it is with much grief that I share more sad news; former City Councillor, Woon Woon Wong also known as Frank Wong, passed away on the morning of December 27, 2023.

Frank arrived in Red Deer in 1971 and worked for the Red Deer Regional Planning Commission and then at Parkland Community Planning Services. Ever devoted to city planning, he served on city council for 18 years between 2004 and 2022. He was proud of his Chinese culture and served for more than 30 years on the Red Deer and District Chinese Community Society.

Mr. Frank Wong always advocated strongly for his community, and he had a special place in his heart for north Red Deer. He was passionate about Red Deer, and the many citizens who call this community home.

As we share this sad news, we will remember Frank for his wisdom and generosity. Our heartfelt sympathies are with his family and friends at this sad time.”

– Mayor Ken Johnston

Meanwhile, former mayor Tara Veer also shared her grief upon hearing of Frank Wong’s passing.

Former Red Deer City Manager Craig Curtis says Wong was one of the first people he met when he immigrated to Canada and came to Red Deer as a planner.

“He and I worked together in the 1980’s and we worked on some really exciting projects together as colleagues on Waskasoo Park and the relocation of the Westerner and railway relocation and all those big projects,” recalls Curtis. “Frank had a big hand in a lot of the major projects that Red Deer did in those days.”

“As a colleague, I’ve always known Frank to be such a huge community support, helping anybody who needed help in the community,” continues Curtis. “Everybody knew Frank and he was always ready and willing to help anybody. I think he’s left a mark on the community both in his planning, but also in his support for social agencies and just people in the community.”

Curtis would work with Wong again later as part of the City’s Planning Commission, and again when Curtis became City Manager while Wong was on council.

“As a councillor, Frank was amazingly consistent. I looked at Frank for consistency on knowing the history of planning of the City and how things worked,” explains Curtis. “We didn’t always agree, but he was always really consistent in the line of growing north to Red Deer, how Red Deer should grow and all the different projects. He wasn’t a big one for speeches, but he was always a big one to know how the city should grow.”

Curtis says Frank Wong has left his mark on our community.

“The big thing about Frank is truly his community contribution overall,” continues Curtis. “That’s’ what got him elected, because everybody knew him and everybody knew they could go to him and talk to him and he was willing to listen to anybody and everybody and any opinion.”

“I think both (Frank Wong and Michael Dawe) have been big builders in this community and their passing is kind of the end of an era in a way,” sighs Curtis. “Their contributions will be missed, but their passing should be celebrated for what they did for their contributions to the community.”

READ MORE

• Michael Dawe passes away at 67

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