Former Calgary city councillor and “Let’s Talk Gardening” radio host Barry Erskine has died, family members confirmed to Global News.
He died on Feb. 14 at age 73 due to complications from dementia.
“He had such a passion and love for life, it was absolutely heartbreaking watching such a terrible brain disease steal him from us,” said daughter Erin Erskine on Tuesday. “It was one of the hardest things I think we will ever go through.”
His family said they are setting up a fund in his name at the University of Calgary for continued research into brain diseases.
A leader on Calgary council
Erskine represented Ward 11 from 1992 until 2007, and his colleagues remember him as one of the earliest councillors working on environmental initiatives.
David Bronconnier, Calgary’s mayor from 2001 to 2010, said Erskine was a big guy with a big heart.
“Barry was one of those larger-than-life kind of guys,” he said. “His physical presence was felt when he walked in the room — I mean, he was about six foot six. A very large man, but… he was the paper tiger. He had a great big laugh and a life about him.”
Bronconnier said Erskine was a “key driver” on city council, especially with environmental policies and historical preservation.
“He was a good guy to work with; you could talk to him about large, complex issues,” he said. “He was supportive of redevelopment in the city, supportive of very progressive policies on the environmental side.”
Environmental endeavors
Erskine hosted “Let’s Talk Gardening” on CHQR for 25 years discussing horticulture — a lifetime passion of his — and was involved with the Home and Garden show and the Horticultural Society.
“He just fundamentally believed in the importance of the natural environment, the landscape that we all enjoy,” Bronconnier said.
“He was passionate about it — whether it be in the parks space, whether it be trees and all those issues, he knew a lot about it, he was passionate about it, he pushed it very hard and you’re seeing the benefit of his work, in terms of one of the earliest adopters pushing city council to deal with preservation of wetlands.”
Bronconnier said Erskine’s leading work in the preservation of wetlands, plus the integration of park spaces and monuments — like Peacekeeper Park and the Military Museums — from the mid-90s is evident today.
“The residents of Garrison Woods and Calgary Currie, as they walk through those parks and pathways, and the public preservation of those monuments that are there, Barry Erskine had a key role to play in that preservation and in those communities,” he said.
A kind dad who made a difference
Erskine met his wife Robin during their university years in Calgary: together for 46 years, married for 36 of them.
Erin, 30, said her dad was artistic: he liked to carve masks, appreciated Indigenous culture and loved music.
“Our childhood was full of John Denver, Cat Stevens, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles — it was pretty great,” she said.
Intelligent and charismatic, Erskine lit up any room, his daughter said.
“He had a creative mind,” she said. “Anything he thought of that he wanted to accomplish, he just went out and did it… He loved being able to help other people and make a difference. He worked very hard to do the best for the city and the environment.
“No matter how late he worked, he always got up in the morning with us and made sure we got to school.”
Erskine also instilled a love of animals in Erin, so much so that she plans on going to veterinary school after finishing her master’s degree.
“Keep learning,” she said. “Just like my dad.”
Erskine’s son James Erskine, 35, said his dad demonstrated kindness and taught him that everyone deserves to be heard.
“He cared about every living organism and realized how important it was to our society,” he said.
“I hope everybody realizes how much he loved this city,” he added. “Truly, him being a councillor for all those years was one of the biggest joys of his life because it was something he was so passionate about.”
Erskine’s funeral will be held on Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. at the McInnis & Holloway funeral home at 5008 Elbow Drive S.W.
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