He was tall, painfully thin and could swear like a sailor.  Everyone knew not to approach him during any day when he was preparing a meal for any of the 320 residents of O-day’min Village on 95th Street in the Boyle Street neighbourhood. He would yell at you if you brought food unannounced to the free meal that he paid for with his own money.  

But that was Tim for the more than 10 years that he lived in the affordable housing building owned and operated by Civida. Tim died in mid-April. He was a contradiction of kindness, generosity, and spitting anger.  

At his memorial, packed with residents in the lobby, people cried openly as they recalled: “Tim the one who baked cakes for birthdays, Tim the fellow who walked around with a pot of soup asking if anyone was hungry,” and, yes, “Tim the fellow who would shout others down if he had a grudge against them.”

And as residents wept and struggled to get out their words, others would come over to hug them, whisper words of consolation and just be there.  

Tim was in his mid-60s when he died. He suffered for many years with a congenital spine condition that, at times, required long periods of rest. He had a rough time growing up, competing with his older brother for the attention and approval of their parents. The two never saw each other after they parted ways in the mid-1980s. 

Tim spent time in jail, worked hard in northern Alberta, married, had children, and left relationships with much disappointment and pain in their wake for everyone involved.  

In subsequent months, as more efforts were undertaken to build a sense of community in the building, Tim blossomed. Christmas dinners, Easter dinners, summer barbeques continued. And when an opportunity for a community garden came to be outside the building’s community gathering space, Tim led the planting, weeding, and distribution of the harvest, especially for single mothers in need.

After his death, one of Tim’s distant relatives who visited him over the years at O-day’min went out of her way to find other members of the family who also had lost contact with him. And so, on that day later in April, his mother, younger sister and daughter were able to hear about Tim’s generous side as person-after-person stood to tell the story of Tim’s central role at O-day’min Village. And you could tell, it meant a lot to them.

O-day’min Village was built by the YMCA in 2010 and transferred to Civida in March 2023. Before the transfer occurred, all kinds of rumours were circulating that residents would be evicted and rents would increase. When Tim first met a Civida representative he demanded a meeting to discuss how he was going to pay his rent as he was not going to learn to do electronic transfers. A meeting date was set. And Tim showed up at the appointed time with 10 other residents, underlining that this wasn’t just about Tim.  

In subsequent months, as more efforts were undertaken to build a sense of community in the building, Tim blossomed. Christmas dinners, Easter dinners, summer barbecues continued. And when an opportunity for a community garden came to be outside the building’s community gathering space, Tim led the planting, weeding, and distribution of the harvest, especially for single mothers in need.

Tim was not a joiner. He did things very much as a solo actor. But he enjoyed seeing others having fun. When bingo night started on the main floor, down the hall from his room, he kept his door open because, “I like hearing the laughter.”

The memorial was a true community effort, led by Melody, a resident who was especially close to Tim. Arrangements were made to bring in a minister from the Salvation Army. Sympathy cards were made available for visitors to sign, flowers were placed on a central table next to a container of tobacco, and there was the opportunity to smudge. 

In the evening, after a flower garden was planted in his memory, we gathered for a barbecue in the courtyard adjacent to the building. And importantly, in the absence of Tim who would have normally led the effort, residents took the lead to bring food, barbecue the burgers, and enjoy each other’s company.  Tim’s legacy was honoured; he would have been proud. 

David worked on community development at O-day’min Village from 2023 to 2025.