| Donald Dean Summerville | |
|---|---|
| 53rd Mayor of Toronto | |
| In office 1963–1963 |
|
| Preceded by | Nathan Phillips |
| Succeeded by | Phil Givens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 4, 1915 Toronto |
| Died | November 19, 1963 Toronto |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Alice Summerville |
| Occupation | politican |
| Profession | military pilot |
Donald Dean Summerville (1915[1] – November 19, 1963) was an east-end municipal politician in Toronto, Canada, and served as Mayor of Toronto, briefly, until his death.
Summerville was born in Toronto to William Summerville and Alberta White. He had an older brother, Ross, who died as an infant in 1910.
Summerville served as a pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, and is reputed to have bombed the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto by mistake during training. He was first elected to city council in 1955 as the alderman for an east-end Toronto ward in the Beaches neighbourhood. He was elected mayor in 1963.
Mayor Summerville suffered a fatal heart attack while playing in a charity hockey tournament at George Bell Arena in the City's west end. Because of municipal boundary guidelines the nearest ambulance, operated by the York Township Fire Department and only a mile away, was never called. Instead, a city ambulance was dispatched from over ten miles away, and the Mayor died waiting for aid.[2] His death led to the creation of the Department of Emergency Services and the amalgamation of Metropolitan Toronto's various local ambulance services.
Summerville's father, William Summerville had been a city councillor and Conservative Member of Provincial Parliament for Riverdale from 1937 to 1943. His widow, Alice Summerville, was elected alderman, in her own right, representing the Beaches from 1964 until 1970. His great-nephew, Paul Summerville, is an economist and was the New Democratic Party's nominee in St. Paul's for the 2006 federal election but subsequently joined the Liberal Party of Canada.
The Donald D. Summerville outdoor Olympic-sized pool (located at Woodbine Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East in The Beaches) and the annual Donald Summerville Yacht Race, hosted by Ashbridge's Bay Yacht Club, are named after him.
Summerville is buried in family plot at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.
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