Community People Profiles are a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our island home. These profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of these folks are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island.

This weeks featured local people profile is: Kees Ruurs

Here’s a bit about Kees;

I was born in Holland a long time ago (about 67 years). My wife and I moved to the US to study Park Management and after completing my Masters degree we moved to Canada to start work as a park ranger in Alberta. After a few years we moved to the Yukon where I became the Director of Parks and stayed for about 8 years. After that a few more moves to the Okanagan, Alberta again and Oregon always looking after provincial parks, state parks or city parks. About 43 years ago I married my wife Margriet who now is a successful children's book writer and we have two sons and 2 grandsons. I am involved in trail planning and development and sit on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

What brought you to Salt Spring Island?

When I was offered the position of Parks and Recreation Manager on Salt Spring several years ago it took my wife and me about 2 minutes to accept. It was a dream come true to be able to move back to Canada (from Oregon) and to settle on such a beautiful island as Salt Spring.

What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island?

It is paradise. The summers are warm, but usually not too hot, the winters are mild and the people are fantastic, very outgoing, creative, fun and sometimes controversial which makes for interesting discussions.

If you had a magic Salt Spring wand, what island thing would you change?

If I had a magic wand I would want to solve some of the most critical issues on the island such as affordable housing and mental health issues. Fortunately the Salt Spring Foundation is working hard on trying to do just that, except the Foundation does not have that magic wand.

Which well known person, living or dead, do you think would be a good addition to the island?

I just finished reading a book about Charles Darwin. I would love to discuss his findings with him. And undoubtedly he would generate a lot of discussion among islanders.

Is there a special project, business or initiative you are working on that islanders should know about?

I recently was asked to take on the chairmanship of the Salt Spring Foundation and I want to continue the terrific work the Board of the Foundation has been doing over the last 25 years. We are in a bit of a transition now that we have established an office and hired the first Director of Operations. We plan on conducting more research into what best the Foundation can do to assist the community with its issues and projects.

Is there a really good interview question we should have asked you?

Now that you are retired what are you doing?

How would you have answered your question?

Now that I am retired in addition to the volunteer work with the Foundation I am on the Board of the Conservancy. However during my 'free time' I love to travel to out of the way places. Fortunately my wife is able to work around the world and I just tag along wherever she needs to go. In addition to that I love long distance hikes, I have done the Camino de Santiago a couple of times and every year I find another long distance trail either in Europe or Australia to spent a few weeks hiking it.