Coun. Mary Warnock believes she's found a way to make her dear friend's name live on forever.
She brought to council earlier this year a request to ask the county to name a common room at the upcoming Victoria Harbour Affordable Housing Development after Bernadette (Bunny) Snider.
"I've known Bunny for many many years, probably over 40 years.," said Warnock, talking about Snider who died on May 29. "I saw her work in the community and what she's done."
One of Snider's main objectives was to get seniors' housing in Tay, she said.
"She was very passionate about that, because she always wanted to stay in her own home and in the community and not have to move elsewhere as we've seen many others do," said Warnock.
Snider, a registered nurse, "had a relentless spirit and a great capacity for compassion that was made real through her countless acts of kindness," reads her obituary online. "Her quiet inner strength and positive attitude enabled her to work on many needed community supports such as the affordable housing project."
She worked tirelessly at the food bank and could always be found at the bake table at CWL bazaars, it reads further.
"Bunny had many lifelong friendships including the walking 'gals' of 27 years and the bridge club," says the description. "She enjoyed knitting and we have all been recipients of a pair of socks as she worked her way around the family. She loved to bake and many have enjoyed her tea biscuits, queen elizabeth cake, butter tarts and pies. Bunny loved a glass of wine, ice cream, good conversation and time spent with family and friends on Georgian Bay."
Snider would have been humbled by council's efforts, said her daughter Sandy Dupuis.
"She would want to recognize everybody else that worked so hard to draw attention to it," she said. "But she'd (also) be just thrilled for the recognition, absolutely.
"We're really pleased because mom worked really hard with a group of folks in the community to get some affordable housing in there," said Dupuis, a Midland resdident. "It's lovely to have her recognized. She was always really passionate about speaking for people that needed affrodable housing."
It brought tears to Janet Pattullo's eyes when she heard the news.
"She truly made our town a better place to live," the Tay resident said, adding she'd grown close to Snider in the last decade or so. "She was very caring. We lived on either end of the street.
"She knew everyone on the street. If she noticed someone wasn't feeling well or hadn't come out in a while, she'd drop them a note to check-in on them. To be honest, she made me feel good just being around her."
Warnock said the letter has yet to be forwarded to the county, but she hopes it will be accepted so Snider's legacy can live on.
