Mayor Gordon Reynolds included in the 2026 Top 7 Over 70 recipients

Commentator/Courier Photo Courtesy of Town of Bow Island Facebook.

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

The Top 7 Over 70™ program, run by the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta, proves that innovation has no expiry date. This recognition initiative honours the fresh, current accomplishments of people who launched something new after the age of 70—whether in science, literature, sports, agriculture, philanthropy, or the arts.

This year, Gordon Reynolds, Mayor of Bow Island, is among the seven nominees selected for the honour. When he found out about the nomination, he felt, “surprised, honoured and humbled.”

“Knowing some of the other recipients and being aware of previous honourees, I was really humbled to be included,” he says.

 Mayor Reynolds moved into local politics because he believes in giving back.

“I was raised to believe that we should all do what we can to help others in whatever way is appropriate, ‘from small acts of service and kindness to joining with others to accomplish larger goals for the greater good’,” he shares. “When I came to Bow Island, it took me a while to figure out how to do that while building a business and raising a young family. I came to realize that if I wanted to live in a community that was not only going to survive but grow and be sustainable, I needed to get involved. A friend convinced me to run in a by-election around 1990, and I was successful. I ran again in 2004 and have been on Council since and was elected Mayor in 2010.”

He learned many important life lessons on the journey – lessons he is happy to share.

“I have learned that people want their government (at all levels) to be open, ethical and willing to listen. I know that we can’t please everyone, but if we make sound, rational decisions based on good information, things will generally go well.”

Mayor Reynolds continues, “Because it is closest to the electors, local government has the ability to be more responsive to the people. Smaller communities like ours can also operate with much less bureaucracy than larger municipalities, and especially less than the provincial or federal governments. I enjoy that at our level of government, everyone has the best interests of the community at heart and makes decisions based on that shared goal. Working with our neighbouring municipalities can only make us stronger. I have learned to respect the planning process and understand that circumstances can lead to those plans changing. I believe that when making decisions, Councils must try to consider the future ramifications of those decisions and look for the unintended consequences. While looking to the future, respect the history and learn from the experiences of those who came before us.”

“What matters most are the people,” he adds. “A town is a collection of buildings and infrastructure; a community is about people living, working, and playing together. I believe that our community is only what we make of it, and it has been gratifying to see it not only survive (when many rurals haven’t) but grow! The big rewards have come from getting to know and work with so many great people.”

 Mayor Reynolds concludes with a positive message, “Get involved! Find any way to help out, whether it’s supporting an individual in you community or something bigger like your church, a sports group, service club, school, local board or committee. Don’t be afraid to step up and run for your local Council!”