Betty Fitzgerald leaves Bonavista council after 20 years as mayor

After 28 years on the Bonavista town council 20 as mayor Betty Fitzgerald says it is time to retire.

Her name won't be on the ballot when municipal elections are held Sept. 26, but Fitzgerald's okay with that.

Being a woman you got to work twice as hard to prove you can do a job.- Betty Fitzgerald

She's seen her once prosperousthen beleaguered fishing community experience an economic bounce in recent years, and feels better about letting someone new take the reins.

"I have mixed feelings," she told the St. John's Morning Show Friday. "I'm sure I'm always going to be doing things but being mayor is a big responsibility."

Fitzgerald was deputy mayor, then took over as mayor in 1997 the same year the Queen came toBonavistafor the500thanniversary of the John Cabot landing.

"Some people didn't want me to take over as mayor because there was never a female on council before," she said.

"Being a woman, you got to work twice as hard to prove you can do a job and do it good."

Roller coaster economy

It hasn't been easy. Bonavistawas hit hard by the closure of the cod fishery in 1992.

Clarenville, at the other end of the peninsula, became the main service centre and Trinity the tourist hub.

But the historic community has since seen a transformation. The fish plant got a new owner, Ocean Choice International, and Fitzgerald said the company "stepped up to the plate and did the best they could."

Then in 2014, a company called BonavistaLiving bought up 30 vacant buildings to redevelop and rent as housing, vacation homes and businesses.

• Bonavista Living: Company outlines plans for 30 vacant properties
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"Bonavista is growing by leaps and bounds," said Fitzgerald."I'm hoping the future ofthe town continues to move forward."

Her motto:"If you want to see things happen, then you got to make them happen."

Her hope is that future Bonavista councillors and mayors will stay humble.

"My advice to them is listen to the people. Don't ever think yourself better than anyone else that's out there because you're not," she said.

"Always, always give praise to the people around you because you can't do anything without good people."