Don Canney loved, led his city

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Ron Corbett's first official dealing with Don Canney involved ice cream. Corbett, at age 28, and a couple of partners lobbied then-Mayor Canney and the City Council to allow small vehicles selling ice cream treats to rove city streets. Their request won approval.

That experience, the current mayor told us, was typical of his encounters with Canney during Corbett's career as businessman, state legislator and Chamber of Commerce president.

“People had a great level of trust for Don Canney,” Corbett said. “Over his 23 years as mayor, he continued to put Cedar Rapids first and stayed out of the fray of partisan politics, from what I saw.”

Canney's legacy is much the same and more for many who knew him. His death Sunday at age 80 stirred memories of a leader - a many fondly referred to as “Governor” or “King” - because he was powerful and also because he was fair and accomplished much for this community.

The list of major projects completed during his tenure, from 1969-1992, is no less than impressive. Among them:

l The I-380 freeway as part of the Avenue of the Saints roadway from St. Louis to St. Paul, Minn., which also furthered his work to expand the city's industrial and job base.

l Five Seasons Center (now U.S. Cellular Center) opened in 1979.

l New public library in 1985.

l Eastern Iowa Airport expansion.

l 5-in-1 Dam completed in 1979.

l Ground Transportation Center in 1983.

l Central Fire Station in 1986.

Even those who disagreed with Canney could hardly deny his leadership ability and his relentless advocacy for Cedar Rapids and Iowa. He had a knack for placing critics on a board or commission that dealt with the issues related to their ire. He worked effectively with the city's movers and shakers and also was comfortable with average citizens.

“He didn't hide in the mayor's office,” Corbett recalled. “He was out and about. People saw him as approachable.”

Would Canney have been as effective if had served in today's public environment of hyper-media exposure, a new form of government since 2006 and a changed corporate world?

Impossible to know for sure. But clearly, for his time, he was a strong, dedicated leader who loved his city. Such attributes would seemvaluable in any era.

What's also certain is that he helped expand the city's backbone toward a better future. Cedar Rapids and Iowa can celebrate and long will benefit from Don Canney's many contributions.

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