Mayor of Sun Peaks and Canadian Ski Hall of Fame inductee Al Raine died on Dec. 15, 2024, after a battle with ALS.
Image Credit: Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality
December 16, 2024 - 11:59 AM
At 83 years old, the first and only mayor of Sun Peaks has died.
Al Raine announced his intentions to resign earlier this year and made it official on Dec. 14, on the eve of his death, after a battle with ALS. He was surrounded by family including his wife Nancy Greene Raine, on Sunday, according to a news release from the municipality.
"I have resigned as your mayor as of December 14 at midnight. Not something that I had planned or something that I really wanted to do. However, as we all know one can’t control everything in life," he said in a statement issued by the Village of Sun Peaks.
Raine leaves a lasting legacy in B.C.'s skiing history with more than half a century of contributions to the sport. Most recently, he served as the first and only mayor of Sun Peaks since the village was incorporated in 2010.
He and his wife, both recognized in Canada's ski hall of fame, have been involved with alpine skiing at the national level and made significant investments in the resort industry, particularly at Whistler then Sun Peaks.
"It was a great privilege to have been Mayor of Sun Peaks and work with your elected representatives. Sun Peaks has great potential, and it can be even better if we all look after our guests, count our blessings and continue to make visitors feel special. I had hoped to see the employee only rental building burst out of the ground, but it is coming along, just a little too slow for my schedule. Always remember, the Sun Peaks people make the difference in whether our guests return or go somewhere else. The community makes people feel special and that is why people love Sun Peaks," Raine said.
Raine was diagnosed with a rare form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) earlier this year, called bulbar ALS. It's a disease that affects the face and neck, making speech, chewing and swallowing difficult.
In his May announcement, he was frank about disease's effects on his body, which also made it difficult to control emotions, but he asked the community to treat him as they normally would and avoid expressions of sympathy. His ALS made life harder as the months passed.
"ALS is interesting in that no two people follow the exact same path but rest assured, it is a horrible disease, and the end is not pretty," he said. "I have been lucky to have lived a full life with no regrets, with a supporting and wonderful wife, two healthy boys and a life full of adventures. I would have been upset if I were 38 years old and diagnosed with ALS but at 83, the best years are behind me."
Public statements of mourning have followed in the days after his death, including from the Thompson Nicola Regional District, where he sat as director, and the City of Kamloops. He is remembered as a "visionary leader" and a community builder.
"As an elected official serving on the TNRD Board between 2010 and 2024, Al served as a thoughtful and knowledgeable leader for his constituents, and he was a friend and mentor to many colleagues on the Board of Directors. His positive contributions to his community have had a broad and lasting benefit to the entire Thompson-Nicola region," a regional district news release read.
The Village of Sun Peaks is hosting a celebration of life from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Centre on Jan. 15, 2025.
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