Flags lowered in TLTI to honour longtime firefighter James Gardiner

Flags at facilities across the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands are flying at half-mast in memory of longtime volunteer firefighter James Wallace Gardiner, who died May 15 at the age of 82.

Gardiner dedicated 50 years of service to the Seeley’s Bay Fire Department, later known as the Leeds and the Thousand Islands Fire Service.

Township officials say Gardiner’s connection to the fire service began as a teenager, when he would leave the family farm and run to the station whenever he heard emergency sirens sounding in the community.

At age 21, he officially joined the department and went on to serve for four decades as an active firefighter, including several years as deputy chief. Even after stepping away from front line firefighting duties, Gardiner continued supporting the department for another five years as an auxiliary member, operating trucks and pumps.

Beyond firefighting, Gardiner also served the community as a volunteer ambulance driver from 1967 to 1974, and later volunteered with the Canadian Cancer Society, driving residents to appointments after slowing down work on the family farm.

According to his obituary, Gardiner was well known in the Seeley’s Bay community for his love of hockey, baseball, hunting and fishing, as well as his storytelling and dedication to helping others.

Township council and staff extended condolences to Gardiner’s family while recognizing his decades of volunteer service and lasting impact on the community.

Officials say Gardiner’s lifelong commitment to public service and community involvement leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered throughout the region.

Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.