A man perhaps best known as the founder of Carney's Waste Systems and the head of the famed Weasel Workers this week added another title to his résumé: Squamish's Citizen of the Year.
Owen Carney, who has given his time to benefit Squamish General Hospital and Capilano University to name just two, was named the winner of the annual award at a ceremony hosted by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce at the Squamish Adventure Centre on Monday (April 29).
Carney, whose most recent efforts include co-chairing (along with his wife Anne) the committee working to raise some $3 million for the planned new Sea to Sky Community Services Society hub in downtown Squamish, "exemplifies the can-do spirit of Squamish," according to his nomination statement.
In accepting the Bill Manson Award - recently renamed for the longtime community builder who passed away last December - from Chief publisher Laila Michell, Carney offered a nod to his fellow nominee, Bob Fast, a longtime friend and sometime business associate.
"We've been good friends for years. We've worked together, played together, done business together," Carney said of Fast, the co-owner of Cardinal Concrete and tireless community volunteer and event supporter. "Bob is just very, very generous."
Carney, who came to Squamish as a butcher and competitive logger in the 1960s, was lauded "as someone who has shaped Squamish's past and is shaping its future. Owen is a leader who inspires us to, like him, work hard and dream big," nominators wrote.
Carney said he's excited about working behind the scenes to help raise money to make the SSCS hub-Squamish United Church project in downtown Squamish to fruition. If enough of the money can be raised over the next few months, the hope is to break ground in September, he said.
Meanwhile, CrossFit Squamish was named Business of the Year, Squamish ReBuild was named Green Business of the Year and the Howe Sound Women's Centre Society (HSWC) was named Non-Profit of the Year.
"Four-and-a-half years ago we were living in Whistler," said CrossFit co-owner Jesse Bifano, standing next to business partner Heather Bell. "We looked in a lot of different places. We chose Squamish, and 3 years later, we can't imagine being anywhere else."
In nominating Squamish ReBuild for the Green Business Award, Krystle tenBrink, Squamish Climate Action Network (CAN) president said, "When I think of a person or business who has changed the way we look at how we do business for the better, I think of Ines [LeBlanc] from Squamish ReBuild."
As for the HSWC, nominators wrote that, "They work tirelessly for the needs of women. This past year, they opened a centre in Whistler, brought world-renowned humanitarian Stephen Lewis to Squamish, and continue to help numerous women in various situations."
