Blair George was always only a phone call away.
“If you needed anything, he was there, no questions asked,” said Sandra Snyder, whose husband is George’s cousin.
The long-serving Municipality of District of Guysborough councillor died after an ATV crash in Halfway Cove on Saturday.
Police arrived at the scene, where a lone ATV rider drove over a large embankment on his property, at about 7:58 p.m., RCMP said in a news release.
George, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other people involved.
George, a councillor for more than 30 years, “was a key part of the team that helped Guysborough transform itself from a small rural municipality through to a vibrant rural municipality,” said a release from the municipality.
“Councillor George would go and get a load of wood for one of his constituents at no cost, or would bring gravel for their driveways when their driveway washed out,” said Warden Vernon Pitts.
“He was a rock at our council table, making decisions in the best interest of our entire municipality.”
Sheila Pelly, deputy warden of the municipality, said the councillor supported every district.
“He was on your side,” said Pelly. “It wasn’t just his area; he was there for all of us.”
Pelly, who was elected in 2004, knew she could turn to George if she needed help with something.
“Him being there for 30 years, of course he knew the ins and outs a lot better than I did,” she said.
George opened a small quarry business in Halfway Cove when he retired after working for the Transportation Department for 30 years, according to the municipality’s ebsite.
He was also past treasurer of St. James Anglican Church and a volunteer with Canso and Area Minor Hockey Association.
“My heart just breaks so much; I still can’t believe it,” said Pelly, who saw George at a meeting the day before the crash.
“He was amazing and we’re sure going to miss him,” Snyder said.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
