Tree planting ceremony honours former Whitby mayor, aerospace pioneer, community builder

Friends, family and community leaders gathered in Whitby Civic Park behind Town Hall last week to dedicate a tree and commemorative plaque honouring an aerospace pioneer and the youngest mayor in the town’s history.

As the new tree – a Blue Spruce – takes root, so too does the memory of a man who helped shape modern Whitby, declared Whitby Mayor Elizabethe Roy in honouring Des Newman, who died last June at the age of 94.

“Des Newman helped shape the Whitby we know today. From championing regional partnerships to supporting investments in healthcare, arts, recreation, and community infrastructure, his leadership left a lasting impact on our community. It is fitting that this tribute will stand in the heart of Whitby for future generations to reflect on his legacy.”

Elected in 1966 as the youngest mayor in Whitby’s history, Newman served for a decade and played a key role in some of the community’s most significant milestones. He championed the amalgamation of the town with Whitby and Township and also helped lay the foundation for the Regional Municipality of Durham when it was created in 1973.

Newman was a “true community builder” whose legacy will be felt in Whitby for “generations to come,” Roy added.

“He recognized the importance of investing in infrastructure that supports a growing town, advocating for projects like the Iroquois Park Sports Centre and helping to establish J.O. Ruddy General Hospital (now Lakeridge Health Whitby) and Whitby Arts Inc. (now Station Gallery).”

“Whitby has lost a respected leader, but Newman’s legacy lives on in the community he helped build.”

Newman, who was born in British Guiana in 1931 and immigrated to Canada in 1955, is best known locally for his tenure as mayor (his daughter Deirdre also served on Whitby Council) and for his community and business accomplishments.

He was the founding chairman of the Durham Region Manufacturers Association and Dennis O’Connor Catholic High School. He was also the chairman of the Industrial Accident Prevention Association for Centre Ontario and served as president of the local Rotary Club.

Des Newman

When he retired, he was given the Freedom of the Town of Whitby and he was also awarded the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Peter Perry Award, Canada’s Centennial Medal, and the Queen’s 50th and 60th Anniversary Medals. In 2015 the University of Ontario Institute of Technology conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

He was also always accommodating to residents, budding entrepreneurs and even young journalists looking to tap into his knowledge of the aerospace industry, where his accomplishments mostly fell under the radar.

In 1956, Newman took a job as chemist for Ajax-based Cametoid Ltd., a subsidiary of Dowty Group. By 1967 he had bought the company.

The company worked on the Avro Arrow until the fateful day when the program was abruptly cancelled by the government of John Diefenbaker in 1958.

Cametoid’s specialty was a unique chemical plating process that allowed jets and spacecraft to function in the upper atmospheres and when Canada launched its first satellite, Alouette, its fixed antennae had been gold plated by Cametoid.

Cametoid also produced the coatings on the first Canadarm, along with a series of Canadian ANIK satellites.

When he bought the company Cametoid began providing coatings to the aerospace and defence industry in the U.S. as well and Newman became chairman of the Department of Defence Supply Chain Management Committee for seven years, with the Dr. Desmond G. Newman Supply Chain Management Award later created in his honour.

Roy was joined at the tree dedication ceremony by Newman’s wife of 70 years Marjorie and two of his daughters, including Deirdre, who will be running for regional council this fall.

“Thank you Mayor Elizabeth Roy and council and staff for a beautiful ceremony and tree planting for my father. The care, kind presence and sentiments of everyone present are deeply appreciated by my family.”