Statement from Mayor Foster on the loss of Hannu Halminen

Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster has issued the following statement.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Clarington’s Hannu Halminen. A pillar of our community has fallen, and Clarington stands steady on the legacy of his support and philanthropy.

Hannu was a patriot. Each year, he flew a small plane over the Bowmanville Remembrance Day ceremony to honour the troops and awe the crowds at the cenotaph.

He was a hero for our local Bowmanville hospital. He once led his team to build a home in just three days, with over 200 tradespeople volunteering their time. The house was sold, with all the proceeds going to the Bowmanville hospital. Later, he and his family pledged more than $2 million for the hospital’s redevelopment and expansion. At the time, it was the largest personal gift ever received by the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation.

Hannu Halminen was a community builder in every sense of the word. On behalf of Council and the Municipality of Clarington, I want to extend my sincere condolences to his family, friends and all those grieving his loss.”