The History of Mississauga’s Kennedy Family – Part 4
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Many individuals have left their marks in the annals of Mississauga’s ever-evolving story, but few families have served their community with such passion and dedication, and without fanfare, as have the extended Kennedy family. With a grass-roots approach and a strong moral standard, the Kennedy family, even in their quiet way, have helped to shape the City that we call home today through successive generations.
We continue our look at the Kennedy family as we explore the paths taken by Jack and Evelyn Kennedy’s sons, Doug, Art, Hal and Don. Likely inspired by their parents and by their uncle, T.L. Kennedy, several of the Kennedy boys became involved in politics and community service.
Robert Douglas “Doug” Kennedy, like his siblings, was raised on the family farm in Dixie, attending both Burnhamthorpe Public School and Port Credit High School. In 1935 he enrolled in the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, graduating in 1939. He served in the Second World War, attaining the rank of Captain with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps.
After the war year, Doug worked with Veteran’s Affairs as part of the Veteran’s Land Act, helping to settle veterans and their families, and then worked with the Farm Credit Corporation. Together with his wife Kathleen, they raised four children: Sue, John, Pat and Janet. In 1967, Canada’s Centennial year, he ran for provincial politics, having previously served on the South Peel Board of Education (from 1955 to 1963), and with the Toronto Township Hydro Commission from (1963 to 1967). He was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1967, and was re-elected in 1971, 1975, 1977 and 1981. After a long career in public service, he retired in 1985. The City of Mississauga named Douglas Kennedy Park along Lakefront Promenade in Lakeview in honour of his long career dedicated to public service. Doug passed away in 2003 and is buried in the Kennedy family plot in St. John’s Cemetery, Dixie.
Arthur Palmer “Art” Kennedy chose a path that was less in the public eye. Art became an engineer, and after serving with the RCAF in the Second World War, he was hired as a civil engineer by Toronto Township (Mississauga). In that role, Art took over the management of waterworks for the municipality, managing the Public Utilities Commission beginning in 1955. He would lead an evolution of Peel County’s water system and was instrumental in the early development of what has become one of the largest water treatment plants in the world. In May of 2019, the water treatment plant in Lakeview was named the Arthur P. Kennedy Water Treatment Plant in his honour.
Art was also the unofficial Kennedy family historian, and he documented the history of the Port Credit War Memorial. Art and his wife Margaret raised three children: Marilyn, Neil and Tom. Art and Margaret were also charter members of the Dixie Curling Club. Art passed away in 2022 at the age of 103 and was laid to rest in the Kennedy family plot at St. John’s Cemetery, Dixie.
Arthur P Kennedy Water Treatment Plant.
We have explored the story of Harold “Hal” Kennedy in a previous article in this series. A much beloved and long-serving Councillor for Toronto Township and Mississauga, he passed away in 2009 and was laid to rest in Trinity Anglican Cemetery in Port Credit. In 2011, Lion’s Park in Port Credit was renamed Harold E. Kennedy Memorial Park in his honour.
The youngest Kennedy brother, Donald Ellis “Don” Kennedy had a long career with Bell Canada. Don was a member of the Oakville Kiwanis Club, the North London Kiwanis Club and the St. Thomas Kiwanis Club. He also served on the Central Elgin School Board, was involved with coaching minor hockey, and served as the chairman of Locke’s Fair in St. Thomas. Don and his wife Donna Jean raised four children: Mark, Cathy, Karen and Allison. Don passed away in 2014 and was laid to rest in South Park Cemetery, Lyndale, Elgin, leaving a legacy of grassroots community involvement.
From roots in the Dixie are of historic Mississauga, the Kennedy boys helped to shape and share in the communities around them, and the family name is forever left on our landscape: T.L. Kennedy Second School, Tomken Road, Kennedy Road, Colonel Tom Kennedy Royal Canadian Legion Branch 582 in Cooksville, Douglas Kennedy Park, Arthur P. Kennedy Water Treatment Plant, and Harold E. Kennedy Memorial Park.
