The recent passing of former Surrey councillor Jerry Huot got me thinking about just how little respect is given to former councillors after they leave office – at least in Surrey.

It isn’t this way in all cities. In White Rock, the city recently sent out notices to people who knew former councillor Margaret Lower to let them know of a memorial service for her. This was a considerate and thoughtful gesture towards one who served the city long and well.

In Surrey, councillors are quickly forgotten by the public and by the current council.

This is at least partially a reflection of the size of the city. Most people in Surrey don’t vote in municipal elections, so they have little knowledge or interest in who serves on council. Of those who do vote, few ever come into direct contact with a member of council.

Two former members of Surrey council have served as premiers of B.C. How many people in Surrey know who they are? The fact that neither of them now lives in Surrey may have something to do with that, but there certainly has been no acknowledgment of their achievements by Surrey council.

Former premier Rita Johnston had suggested that the city honour her colleague, the late Bonnie Schrenk, who was one of the best-known members of council in the 1970s and 1980s. Johnston wrote to the city to suggest a park be named after her, and it was. Johnston attended the ceremony. To the best of my knowledge, that is the last public event in Surrey she was invited to.

Former premier Bill Vander Zalm now lives in Delta and continues to get some media attention. His latest campaign is to fight the proposed HST. But he rarely rates a mention from the current Surrey council, and few people here likely know that he was Surrey’s youngest mayor ever when he was first elected in 1969.

The last mayor of Surrey to be honoured by having a facility named after him was Joe Brown, whose last term as reeve (the old term for mayor) was in 1945.

A number of former mayors and councillors have passed away in recent years – Don Ross, Bill Fomich, Paul Easton, Jeanne Eddington, Jock Smith (who served on council and school board) and now Huot. All of them devoted many years to this city. No one knows better just how much time and effort they put in than current members of council.

It is no wonder that heritage buildings, significant trees, historic roads and other landmarks get little attention at city hall. There isn’t even much attention paid to former members of council and their contributions.

A city that has no institutional memory of its past achievements and the people who were significant players is doomed to become nothing other than a bland, soulless collection of streets, houses and concrete. Surrey has a colourful past, from many perspectives, and for many years members of Surrey council (including Huot) were often loud and brash players on the local and regional stages.

However, few people, in and out of public office. seem to care.

It may be a sign of the times in a big, modern city, but it certainly does nothing to increase Surrey’s sense of community. Nor does it give young and new Surrey residents a glimpse and understanding of their city’s past.