On Sunday, Dec. 15 the municipality of Sun Peaks shared the sad news that mayor Al Raine passed away peacefully, surrounded by his devoted wife Nancy Greene Raine and their family.
Raine is the only person to have served as mayor of the popular resort ski village, which was incorporated as the Resort Municipality of Sun Peaks in 2010. He also served for 14 years on the board of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD). Raine stepped away from his roles as Sun Peaks mayor and TNRD director this past summer, following a diagnosis of ALS. The last TNRD meeting he attended was in November 2024, when he was no longer able to speak.
Clearwater mayor and fellow TNRD director Merlin Blackwell spoke with Black Press following the news of Raine's passing, saying, "Al was a wise and honourable guy. I always took Al’s opinions seriously when we were on the TNRD board together.
"He was also very supportive of his peers in politics. If you did good, Al would let you know. I spent about 10 minutes with him at his last visit to the TNRD. He could no longer speak, but could communicate via a tablet that read out his words. He still had a sparkle in his eye. He was sharp and witty even without his voice."
Many of his colleagues reached out to the Barriere Star Journal and Clearwater Times on Sunday to express their condolences and memories of Raine. Chair of the TNRD and mayor of Ashcroft Barbara Roden said "It was my honour and privilege to work alongside Al at the Thompson-Nicola Regional District table for nearly six years. A lot of people will be recognizing the work he and Nancy did in establishing first Whistler-Blackcomb, and then Sun Peaks, as world class ski destinations, but I'd like to recognize Al as a wonderful example of someone who got into local politics for all the right reasons: to serve his community and his residents to the very best of his ability.
"He was a man of honour and integrity, and of great kindness. He didn't necessarily say a lot at TNRD meetings, but when he did speak, people listened, because his comments were always thoughtful and full of intelligence and common sense. His passion for his community was undeniable, and he will be greatly missed."
Newly-elected Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer's voice broke with emotion when speaking about Raine on Sunday.
"We've lost a tremendous man," said the former Barriere mayor. "Al Raine was not only respected by everyone who knew him and worked with him, he was a man with incredible vision and determination. I had the good fortune to sit with him in our final years together at the TNRD. Through it all, when Al spoke, everyone listened, and we all knew his experience would head us in making good decisions for the people we represent.
"Al was a friend and someone I could trust. My thoughts are with his wife Nancy and their family at this most difficult time. Thanks Al. You'll be remembered fondly and dearly missed."
Rob Kerslake, Barriere's deputy mayor, also serves on the TNRD board, and said, "As an observer, I would say Al was a community builder. During his time as mayor he turned Sun Peaks into an economic powerhouse. More importantly, though, he made the community a great place to live, work and play. I'm sure he will be missed by all, and of course our council extends heartfelt condolences to his family and the municipality there."
RCMP Cpl. Joshua Buck spent many years serving Sun Peaks, as well as coordinating children and youth RCMP-sponsored ski trips to the resort, and shared his memories of Raine.
"I am saddened to hear the news of Mayor Raine's passing today from here in the prairies. Al has been such an important part of Sun Peaks for so many years and it's a sad day for everyone. I had the opportunity to interact and see him at Sun Peaks many times. He was always very supportive of the police and maintaining good relationships with all. I really looked up to him personally as he seemed to have such a balanced life and contributed so much to a community our skiing family loves. He will be greatly missed."
Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre, shared his thoughts from Victoria, where he was attending former premier John Horgan's funeral.
"I'm saddened to hear of the passing of Al Raine. He was such a special person and a true community builder. My deepest condolences to Nancy and his family at this time."
The municipality of Sun Peaks shared a letter written by Al Raine on Sunday, which reads:
Dear Sun Peaks Community,
I have resigned as your Mayor as of December 14th at midnight. Not something that I had planned or something that I really wanted to do. However, as we all know one can’t control everything in life.
My ALS combined with adult-onset asthma has made breathing more and more difficult with each passing day. ALS is interesting in that no two people follow the exact same path but rest assured, it is a horrible disease, and the end is not pretty. I have been lucky to have lived a full life with no regrets, with a supporting and wonderful wife, two healthy boys and a life full of adventures. I would have been upset if I were 38 years old and diagnosed with ALS but at 83, the best years are behind me.
It was a great privilege to have been Mayor of Sun Peaks and work with your elected representatives. Sun Peaks has great potential, and it can be even better if we all look after our guests, count our blessings and continue to make visitors feel special. I had hoped to see the employee only rental building burst out of the ground, but it is coming along, just a little too slow for my schedule. Always remember, the Sun Peaks people make the difference in whether our guests return or go somewhere else. The community makes people feel special and that is why people love Sun Peaks.
Thanks for sharing this journey!
Respectfully,
Al Raine
A celebration of life is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 at the Sun Peaks Centre. More details will be provided in the future.
