Burn Creeggan supported the CCRA and the community for over 40 years
By Kathy Rowe
A lot happened for Burn Creeggan in 1968. “Our first new house (in Centennial), our first baby (John), and our first new car! ( a Chrysler)”
Burn, a high school teacher and his wife, Neida, also a high school teacher, settled in and began to raise their three boys in this neighbourhood. At that time, Burn was teaching math at Cedarbrae Collegiate. As his boys, John, Jim and Andrew grew older, they became involved with cubs and scouts.
Burn joined the CCRA executive and mostly lobbied for the scouts. He remembers the early CCRA community dances, golfing at the golf course that used to be in West Rouge, and helping with the summer fireworks events at Adams Park. “I remember trying to police that event and I tried to make sure that people were paying to attend the fireworks”, said Burn. “Of course, some of them didn’t.” He added, laughing. “I remember that in the winters my boys loved tobogganing down the hill in that park!”
In the early 1980’s, while Burn was still working for the Board of Education, he volunteered each month to drive bundles of the CCRA newsletter to the various carriers on his route which back then was a green booklet.
Burn continued to deliver the bundles right up until this winter. That’s over forty years of dedication to the CCRA and to the community. It doesn’t get much more impressive than that. Those would have been busy years for the Creeggan family. He and Neida fostered the schooling and interests of their sons: John, an engineer; Jim, a musician (and one of the founding members) with the band The Barenaked Ladies, and Andrew, also a successful musician. Burn and Neida certainly have a great deal to be proud of, not to mention their six grandchildren whose photos adorn their living room.
On behalf of the CCRA, I want to wholeheartedly thank Burn for his many years of loyalty to the CCRA. We couldn’t have done it without you.