Ted Bacigalupo

Ted Bacigalupo was likely the hardest working regional district representatives of all times. He was a man of great integrity and a true environmentalist who cared deeply about protecting the health of our region. We all owe him a depth of gratitude for leading the establishment and funding of the Shuswap Lakes Integrated Planning Process. I cherish the opportunities that I had over the years to work with him on issues such as West Beach, water quality monitoring and parks and recreation. Before he became a politician, he was a member of SEAS and supported our efforts to protect wilderness and create new parks. It will take two or three people to do the work he did.

We will miss him deeply. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. Jim Cooperman

CSRD Press Release

June 14, 2012

LONG TERM ELECTORAL AREA DIRECTOR AND CSRD CHAIR PASSES AWAY

SALMON ARM – It is with deep regret and sadness that the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) announces the passing away of Electoral Area ‘C’ Director and Board Chair Ted Bacigalupo.  Chair Bacigalupo passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on the evening of June 13th, 2012.

CSRD Vice-Chair Revelstoke Mayor Dave Raven expressed the following sentiments noting that Director Bacigalupo’s passing is a real loss, not only to his family and friends, but also to the wider community he served. “We’re all deeply saddened. Ted was a good friend to all of us on the Board.  He very proudly served his area.  He was a true gentleman and he taught me many lessons. He will be sadly missed and my heart goes out to his family and his many friends.”

Director Bacigalupo was first elected to the position of Area Director in 1999 and has served his community in that capacity for the past 13 years. It was a role he filled with tremendous dedication, putting in many hours attending as many community meetings and functions as possible.  In addition, he championed the causes of the various commissions and committees on which he served; most notably the Okanagan Regional Library Board, where he served as chair for the past five years, and the Shuswap Lake Integrated Planning Process (SLIPP). Chair Bacigalupo was also on the executive of the Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA).

“I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Chair Bacigalupo”, stated CSRD Chief Administrative Officer Charles Hamilton.  “On behalf of all the staff at the CSRD, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends.  Ted was a great character with whom I had a wonderful working relationship.  I will miss him very much indeed.”

The world has lost a great man. An honest man who revered  the truth as he knew it, who stood up for his convictions, and in his short lifetime has done much good. I guess all great men must pass, and they are the ones we miss the most. He was a  man of his convictions, and always did his homework.

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A popular Shuswap politician who championed water issues died Wednesday. Ted Bacigalupo, chairman of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, died surrounded by family, according to a release from the agency. He was first elected in 1999 to represent the region around Sorrento and north of Salmon Arm.

Shuswap conservationist Jim Cooperman said Bacigalupo’s death is a major loss to the region. “How many regional districts have an environmentalist as chair? We wouldn’t have funding for Shuswap Lake Integrated Planning Process if it wasn’t for him. He championed so many causes.”

The planning process is a long-term, multi-agency effort to protect water quality. Cooperman said Bacigalupo wasn’t afraid to stand up for causes that were unpopular at first. That included his stand against rampant development on the Shuswap.  “He was often the odd man out but he kept it up,” Cooperman said.

CSRD vice-chairman David Raven called Bacigalupo’s death “a loss, not only to his family and friends, but to the wider community he served.”

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I will always remember everyone  voting at a CSRD meeting, Ted unswayed by the raised hands around him. When the Chair asked
“Opposed?”only Ted’s  hand went up.
Ted always had the courage to stand alone.
 We will miss him sorely.
Please light a candle for him.

……….Carol Ferguson

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To: Shuswap Water Action Team Society (SWAT) Members and Supporters

I am very saddened to inform you that our community leader and friend, CSRD Chair Ted Bacigalupo passed away quietly in his sleep the evening of June 13 in the presence of his family after being ill for the past few months.

Ted was one of the most outstanding leaders our area has ever had. He worked tirelessly for the community that he loved so much, participating in almost every meeting and event in the area and beyond. To him it was not just a job. The entire community was like his extended family and he wanted to participate in everything that was going on in it.

He was an honest, no-nonsense, “tell-it-like it-is”, politician with a good wit and sense of humour. He was a breath of fresh air in our political world.

Ted believed our natural environment and our water was in need of protection, so he joined us as one of the founding members of SWAT.

Because our SWAT Board worked closely with Ted on water quality issues, we learned first-hand his respect for the environment, his dedication, integrity, amazing energy, and his ability to use his political skills to get results.

He also played a key role in getting SLIPP established, and then identified funding sources from numerous Shuswap watershed communities. This was over and above all his other responsibilities such as being Chair of the Okanagan Library Board

Our community and our environment is a much better place today thanks to Ted and his great leadership. He has set the bar very high. We are confident the community will honour him by continuing his work of protecting our water quality and the natural environment. No doubt he will be cheering us on from the bleachers.

Ted was an inspiration to me, to SWAT, to SLIPP, and to many other organizations in the Shuswap.  We will all miss him very deeply, especially his leadership, his humour, and mostly his friendship.

On behalf of myself and our Directors our condolences go to his family, his friends, and his associates.

Ray Nadeau – President of SWAT and Directors

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Shuswap Trails – Sad News

Very sad news – Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area ‘C’ Director and Board Chair, Ted Bacigalupo, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family on the evening of June 13th, 2012.

Director Bacigalupo was instrumental in launching the CSRD Parks plans which identified linear greenway trails as a priority for local communities. He also worked closely with the South Shuswap Recreational Trail Society to create the Blind Bay parallel trail project. And was a tireless champion of the Shuswap Lake Integrated Planning Process.

Earlier this year, Ted accepted the 2012 Shuswap Trail Award acknowledging outstanding contributions to the development of regional greenway trails on behalf of the directors and staff of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Under his direction, the board of the Shuswap Trail Alliance launched the current discussion with regional leadership to ensure long-term support for the growing greenway trail system continues into the future.

Together, we offer Ted’s family and friends our deepest sympathies. He will be remembered out on the trails of the Shuswap.

Phil McIntyre-Paul
for the Shuswap Trail Alliance