Mike Gau’s chair sat empty at Feb. 10’s city council meeting.
The director of development services for the city passed away suddenly the week prior. Mayor Kirk Cameron was visibly emotional as he called for a moment of silence at the beginning of the meeting on Feb. 10.
“This loss is devastating, and our organization is grieving,” said Cameron. “He will be dearly missed, but he will not be forgotten.”
Gau had worked for the city for 25 years, per a statement released by the city on Feb. 7. He began as a summer student. He took on the role of director in 2012.
Flags were lowered to half mast to mark his passing.
Dan Curtis was the mayor of Whitehorse between 2012 and 2021. He said the city is indebted to Gau.
“He cared so much about how people look at the city, how they wanted to invest in the city. And yeah, I just, I'm really gonna miss him,” said Curtis. “And I just, I really felt like he was a great mentor to me, and to many others.”
Curtis recalled Gau’s kindness and intelligence from his own time in city hall.
“At least twice a week, maybe even more, I would walk into Mike's office, and he was always so, so busy, but he always had time to sit me down and on the whiteboard, walk through the ramifications and what the anticipation is for our partners within the territorial government and First Nations, he had such an amazing handle on that,” said Curtis.
Curtis said Gau was an original of Whitehorse and of the Yukon. “We talk about the colourful 5 per cent, he was definitely in that and just an incredible guy. You know, he's just all around wonderful human being.”
Dan Boyd has had a seat on council since 2015, and sat on council from 1994 to 2000. He spoke to the News on Feb. 10.
“He was always a gentleman, always caring and compassionate, and he knew his business really well,” said Boyd. “It's a big shock to the city. It's a big shock for the community, and extremely sad.”
Boyd said Gau’s passing is hard to fathom, recalling meeting with him as recently as Thursday afternoon.
During a statement at city council on Feb. 10, Mayor Kirk Cameron said outside city hall, Gau was a stalwart presence on the city’s hockey rinks.
“The rinks around town won't be the same without him,” said Cameron.
“We should all aspire to that, to have half as many people that love him, to love us when it's our time,” said former mayor Curtis.
“It's time to be a little bit kind. I wish that for this council, for the next council, and it's going to be harder without Mike being there, trying to navigate the rough waters.”
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
