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48 - DECKS AWASH
meeting with a federal official.
Although the concept originated
in Britain, several examples
have been constructed in the
United States. The closest is in
Prince Edward Island. Bill has
visited many of them. It took
Pasadena five years to convince
the federal Department of
Regional Industrial Expansion
CORlE> and the provincial
government that an incubator
mall should be constructed at
Pasadena. Once finished, it will
be administered jointly by Newfoundland
and Labrador Housing
who funded acquisition of the
four-acre plot, the Provincial
Department of Industrial
Development, and the Town of
Pasadena.
"It was the town's initiative
that got it here and we have the
most to gain or lose by making it
work, so we have to be an integral
part of the operating system. But
we don't just consider the thing
Pasadena's. This is a regional
thing. Our philosophy is that the
Humber Valley, Bay of Islands,
and the Corner Brook area are
one economic unit. The
businesses we start may eventually
go to Deer Lake to be near
the airport, or to Corner Brook to
benear a port. That doesn't matter.
What matters is that the
whole area will benefit."
Our tour of Pasadena continues
through two industrial parks, a
novelty for a town of Pasadena's
size.
I'd sooner listen than talk
F
ra nk Bonnell, 40. mayor of
Pasadena, took office inSep­
tember after four years as deputy
mayor. He succeeded Bill Pardy
who resigned. to become deveJopment
officer for the new incubator
maiL By all accounts the two
men made a good team although
outwardly they display quite dissimilar
characteristics. Bill has
a compulsion to speak, Frank appears
happier listening. The softspoken
mayor lnoks slightly
amused.
"I've been quiet all my life,"
says Frank. "Yes, Bill and I had
a good partnership. We both had
the same objectives and we worked
together well."
Frank first ran for council at
the urging of friends.
"Some people run for office because
they are having trouble
with the council. They think they
can get in and change the world.
That wasn't my reason. I always
found council good to deal with.
Youcould sit down with them and
if you had troubles and there was
anyway they could help, they
would."
Since taking office and being on
the other side of things, Frank
has found it a little different.
"Of course, some people can
Mayor Frank Bonnell
come in and you can say what
you like to them-they won't
believe you anyway. Still, I've
found it better to get them to sit
down and talk with you. If a man
is upset and you talk calmly, he
wilt quiet down after awhile. I
don't think anyone gets anywhere
by shouting.
"As mayor, you've got more
"We are very proud of our town
and conscious of appearances,It
says Bill. "The older people who
planned Pasadena had great
foresight, and left us a wellplanned
town. Because of that,
we ha ve passed new industrial
regulations that make sure industrial
areas are landscaped
properly. Companies now have to
post a bond to make sure they
landscape their premises."
Obviously. the council of
Pasadena has the support of its
citizens. Bill points to one street
entirely lined with maple trees.
"They were put there as a
group effort by the homeowners
of this street," he says proudly.
responsibility, but you're also in
tune with everything that's going
on. Every councillor is on two
committees-I always usedto be
on finance and recreation-but as
mayor I have to know the 'ins and
outs' of all the committees. Of
course, it takes up a lot more
time, too."
Frank is descended from the
Lamaline Bonnells but his father,
Charlie, moved to Midland when
the new farming settlement was
getting underway in the 1930s.
After studying accounting at the
College or Trades and
Technology in 51. John's, Frank
took a job as an auditor with the
pulp and paper company at Corner
Brook. When the company
took delivery of a new computer,
Frank gave them a hand for six
months.
"I was only back tn myoId job
for hair a day when they asked
me to transfer to computing and
I've been there ever since. I'm
what they call an operatorprogrammer
- or is it programmer-operator?"
muses
Frank.
"A good number of people living
at Pasadena work at the mill.
Percentage wise, I'd say it's
about the same proportion of the