Passion

He didn’t explain himself. He didn’t need to. Paul Greer was raised to work hard—for his family and for his community. He went to work every day quietly, respectfully, and with good humour. It’s who he was.

Paul passed away last week. Too young at 54. Complications from cancer. His passing will be mourned across Prince Edward County, but particularly so in Wellington. This is where he grew up, raised his family, and built a business. Paul gave his energy and resources to this community—whenever and wherever it was needed.

He’d learned this way of thinking at the feet of the Greers who came before him. His dad, Bill, had served as Reeve for 13 years, on council for 30 years in total. Indeed, the County story is punctuated by the achievements, contributions, and legacy of the Greer family.

A legacy embodied in Paul Greer.

When Gary Parks, Scott Wentworth, and others decided to make soccer available for their kids and other kids in Prince Edward County, the game’s popularity soon overwhelmed the facilities at the high school in Picton. Planning got underway to convert an unused field—owned by the municipality— across Johnson Street into a proper soccer pitch and three smaller pitches for the younger children. But there was a problem. The fallow property sloped severely—dropping more than 16 feet west to east. It was a massive amount of earth to move—an ambitious undertaking for the volunteer group with few funds.

Naturally, they reached out to Paul. According to Scott Wentworth, there was no hesitation; Paul was eager to do the work— at cost. For his boys. It required weeks of scraping, digging, sculpting and smoothing by Paul’s excavating team before the contours of the present Johnson Street soccer facility came into focus.

“His attitude was simple and consistent,” recounted Wentworth, “ ‘What needs to be done? Let’s do it.’ “

As Scott Wentworth noted, when Paul provided his labour, equipment and resources to projects such as these, he was not only forgoing profit from this job—but the job he could be doing elsewhere. For Paul’s service was always in demand.

“I’ve been here for 35 years,” said Wentworth, “and I have seen Paul’s spirit and dedication over and over again.”

When the school in Wellington needed a new science room, Paul was there to dig the trenches and backfill the water and sewer lines. Others contributed too—Harry Veenstra, Ted Nash, Bob Logan. The project was estimated at $58,000. It cost less than half that amount. It is how things were done in this community. Folks with the resources, talents and energy came together to make it happen.

According to Vic Alyea, principal of CML Snider at the time, Paul was clear-eyed about his contribution.

“It’s my school,” said Paul. “It’s where my kids go to school.”

In recent years, he helped the United Church install new signage and construct a new shoreline wall. He contributed to rehabilitating the old rail line into the impressive and popular Millennium Trail.

Paul worked with the municipality to clear snow from the sidewalks and dredge sand from the channel. Even when it was a full rate, he did so with care. With respect. For this was his community. His place.

Many stories like these have been shared over the past few days—likely many more to come. Paul’s commitment to his community knew no bounds. It came without fanfare. Without celebration. Without much notice. It did not matter. Paul wasn’t doing it for attention or notice. Paul believed that if everyone did their part, his community would be a better place. For his family. For his children. It is how he lived his life.

The loss of Paul Greer to our community is likely more than we will ever know. His commitment to this community is all around us, just below the surface. Just out of sight.

rick@wellingtontimes.ca