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Worth Repeating: The Rock was calling – lives well lived continue on in Springdale, Newfoundland
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THESE SALTWIRE VIDEOS
BUCHANS, N.L. — Kevin Quinlan, a Buchans, Nfld. native, enjoyed an outstanding career.
At age 17, Kevin was a power engineering apprentice with the American Smelting and Refining Company in Buchans. Kevin was later an adjunct professor with the Faculty of Education, University of P.E.I., and prior to arriving in Truro, he was a professor of education at the University of Regina.
“I arrived in Truro March 31, 2001, to fill the position of principal – Truro Campus, Nova Scotia Community College,” Kevin, 73, said. “I was in that role until January 2014, when I retired. My family stayed in Regina until school finished in June of 2001, and I stayed in the campus until my wife Sharon, and I found our home in Salmon River.”
Kevin can still clearly recall his first morning on campus.
“Around 10 a.m. I walked over to check out my office in Forrester Hall. I was sitting at my desk when I heard music and people singing from somewhere in the building. I said to myself, ‘What’s this about?’ Well, it was Mayor Bill Mills and his church group downstairs in the lecture theatre. To me, it was an early indication of ‘community in the community college’ – and I knew the mayor very early in.”
Truro was found to be very welcoming.
“I found open door after open door in my transition to Truro and area, and that outlook prevailed to the day we moved.”
Shortly after arriving in Truro, Sharon, with a background in teaching, was hired by the province in a fairly new program focusing on youth and families.
“After five years in that role, Sharon started in the school system as a guidance counsellor,” Kevin said. “Sharon served various schools until her retirement in June 2022.”
Kevin commented on his role as principal.
“I was mandated to connect to the community and do what I could to facilitate the transition from the Teachers College to NSCC. In pursuit of that aim, I was involved in multiple community/provincial associations.”
Kevin was indeed very active. He was involved with the Rotary Club of Truro, Rotary Club of Truro Foundation, Colchester Regional Development Association, Rural and Coastal Communities Network, Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce, Citizens Advisory Committee, Nova Institution, Canadian Vocational Association, and the Winter Games Bid Committee.
In 2005, Kevin was Rotarian of the Year.
“Back on campus, a lot happened there over my 14 years,” Kevin recalled. “Major investments were made in Forrester Hall, the main classroom building, Davis Hall, residence, McCarthy Hall, library, the Sport Wellness Centre, and Gittens Lodge, our multi-purpose wilderness facility about 15 kilometres from Truro, which enhances campus life and learning.”
Kevin singled out the importance of savings provided by the new pedway connecting two major learning centres on campus. When asked to share a memorable local-to-global highlight during his career, Kevin hit the ball out of the park.
“I was fortunate to ‘play ball’ on the Field of Dreams baseball field in Dyersville, Iowa,” he began. “I was at a conference in Dubuque when, at the end of the day, a couple of local guys took a few visiting attendees out to the baseball field, which was 25 miles away. They had balls, gloves, and bats in the cars, we had a mini-pitch and a hit time.”
Upon retiring from the Nova Scotia Community College in 2014 at age 65, Kevin began taking on international assignments of at least one-month duration for the Canadian Executive Service Organization (now Catalyste+). He was assigned projects in Honduras, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Ethiopia.
“I worked primarily with universities on development projects,” Kevin explained.
In knowing Kevin for quite a number of years, it has been an enjoyment to follow his goals and accomplishments. I have also enjoyed first-hand his synopsis of the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League and the Buchans Miners. One could say Kevin and I were in pretty close quarters back in the days of the popular league.
In the words of the Buchans native, “When I was a 15-year-old bantam hockey player during the 1963-64 season, I stood behind the wire screen every game as this tall, thin 19-year-old goaltender played senior hockey for the Buchans Miners.”
In conversations with Kevin over the years, certain to come up were the names of Newfoundland-born players such as Alex Faulkner, Copper Leyte, Mike Kelly, and Gordie Butler. Star import players recalled included Hughie Wadden, Neil Amadio, Frank Walker, Howie Meeker, Frank Dorrington, Clobey Collins, and Jacque Allard.
“When Sharon retired in 2022, the call to family back on The Rock rang loud,” Kevin told me recently. “With extended family in Newfoundland, we had tough conversations about staying or moving. In the end, family and grandchildren won the day.”
On March 29, Kevin and Sharon returned home to The Rock.
“We left Salmon River and Truro, Nova Scotia, with some wonderful memories of people, places, culture, and 22 years of life well lived. We bought a home in Springdale, and we have a summer home in Langdon’s Cove. Our plan is to hang out with grandkids and families, travel to communities we have yet to visit, and appreciate The Rock and all it offers. Lives well lived continue on.”
