Blake Ellis/The Independent

The hall at the Camlachie Community Centre will be now known as Napper Hall. 

Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Gary Atkinson made the announcement at an event to honour his predecessor, former Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Lonny Napper, on Oct. 1. 

The event was a surprise planned by the municipality. Many mayors and council members from municipalities throughout Lambton County gave Napper a standing ovation for his work in the community.

“History will prove that Lonny has had a profound impact on our community over the years,” said Atkinson, indicating Napper has given 36 years of municipal service to his community including 16 years as mayor serving on both the Plympton Township and Plympton-Wyoming council. 

His work was not always easy. Napper led Plympton-Wyoming through a battle with wind developers, eventually losing the fight to keep the giant turbines out of his municipality. 

Napper often tried to lighten the mood with a snappy retort around the council table.

Napper’s volunteering did not end at politics. 

The mayor has been involved in the booking of the hall at Camlachie Community Centre as well as its day-to-day on going activities for years. 

Napper also served on the Central Lambton Family Health Team Board. Through that, he was involved before he retired as mayor in 2022, with the creation of the Plympton-Wyoming Health and Wellness Centre. 

Atkinson said the centre is operating five days a week, averaging 400 patients a month and is on track to take care of between about 6,000 to 7,000 people a year.

It, too, is an important part of his legacy, Atkinson said.

Lambton County Warden Kevin Marriott said it is fitting that the hall will be named after Napper because of his work there.

And he said Napper is still missed at Lambton County council. 

“We do miss your grumpiness,” Marriott said to Napper, adding he knows that the former Plympton-Wyoming mayor is happy in his retirement. 

Napper confirmed that saying “I wouldn’t want your job for a minute anymore,” to Mayor Atkinson. 

The honour took Napper by surprise.

 “At the moment I am basically speechless and that is hard thing for me to do,” said Napper, after the announcement. 

“Maybe it is called Napper Hall, but it will always be Camlachie Community Centre in my heart,” said Napper, saying he would like to share this honour with the Huron Shores Optimist Club which built the facility 50 years ago.