During President Darrel Smith's year in 2023, Vince Lynch was tasked with documenting parks and plaques in Belleville where the Rotary Club of Belleville contributed to those projects. A book in the making is now complete and is complimentary to the History of the Rotary Club of Belleville book produced in 2020, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Belleville. The book focuses on projects associated with the 75th and 100th anniversaries of the Club as well as the 100th anniversary of Rotary International, the book also identifies several other projects that included both financial and sweat equity contributions and associated recognition plaques.
Worth noting is the wonderful working relationship that the Club has had with the City of Belleville staff, especially for the Music Garden and Fitness Park, much of which was completed during COVID. Vince recognized Belleville Transportation and Operations Services Staff: Joe Reid, Rowland Cave-Browne-Cave, Krista Keller, Ken Hoard, Chris Anderson, Phil Holmes, Tim Schaly and Rob Rashotte. Also recognizing Amanda Hill, Archivist for the Community Archives of Belleville and Hastings County, who provided excellent guidance in retrieving supporting documents for this book. Also, special thanks to Rotarian Secretary, Jo-Anne Wheeler for her detailed support and editing of this book.
Vince presented a copy of the book to Jared Bellemare on behalf of current President Tracey Vandervoort as well as to Rotarians Cory and Bill MacKay, Wolf Tausenfreund, Bill Lowther (second in command when the project started), Marg and Ross Wagner, Doug Moses who has contributed so much to the Waterfront Trail and to Michael Rutland's wife in recognition of his work in creating the Children of Hope statue. Many hands contributed to this book and becomes part of the history of the Club.