Roland Roushias set to retire this week after 44 years with the Beaches Recreation Centre

By ALAN SHACKLETON

Looking back at 44 years of working at the Beaches Recreation Centre, Roland Roushias wanted to stress that it’s all about the community and always has been.

Roushias, 62, will be retiring at the end of this week after more than four decades of working at the Beaches Recreation Centre on Williamson Road.

He started there working part-time at the age of 18 and then later moved on to become a full-time staffer.

“January 1981 was my very first shift here and the last one will be December 2024,” he told Beach Metro Community News in an interview this week at the centre.

Roushias’ last official day of work will be on Friday, Dec. 20, and there have been a number of ceremonies to honour his many contributions to both the Beaches Recreation Centre and the community members who use it.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, during the Beaches Recreation Centre Advisory Council’s annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa, Roushias was presented with a journal from members of the community and also got to see a life-sized cutout of himself that will be on display in the building.

“So that he is still there when he is no longer working there,” said local resident Shah Ruby in a note to Beach Metro Community News about the cutout of Roushias.

When Roushias first started at the Beaches Recreation Centre he thought would be a short-lived part-time job.

“I thought it would be fun to do for a year or so,” he said 44 years later.

Over the decades he has worked at the centre in numerous capacities including as a sports monitor, pool door monitor, setting up and running programs as the Community Recreation Programmer, and even at one time helping take care of young children while parents took part in other activities.

“I’d be looking after the little kids while the moms were taking yoga classes,” he remembered of those early days. “I’ve done pretty much everything over the years.”

A life-long Beacher, Roushias grew up on Glen Ames which is literally one block north of the Beaches Recreation Centre. He attended Williamson Road Public School and Glen Ames Senior Public School, which are directly to the east of the centre, and also Malvern Collegiate.

“I didn’t get too far, I’m just one block over,” said Roushias, who still lives on Glen Ames.

“I’ve lived, worked and played in the Beaches and have been very lucky and grateful to do so,” he said.

Roushias said he sympathizes with those who complain about their long commutes to work but can’t personally relate.

For many of the years he has been at the Beaches Recreation Centre, Roushias has worked with his long-time friend Frank Domagala.

“I’ve worked with Frank on and off for 40 years. He started here as a lifeguard in 1985.”

Roushias would also help out once in a while appearing on stage with Frank’s band the Sons of Beaches, well known in the community.

“I was on tambourine and had a mic, but they later told me the mic wasn’t on,” he laughed.

“The greatest band of all time,” said Roushias of Sons of Beaches.

He said it has been a pleasure and an honour to work in and for the community he grew up and lives in.

“The programs and the special events, and the day-to-day activities, and being here and making it fun for everybody has always been the goal,” said Roushias.

“The centre brings all kinds of different people together and creates relationships and shows we have so much in common with each other here. That’s what we do and it builds communities and neighbourhoods,” said Roushias.

He also wanted to thank the many residents and users of the centre who have been passing on kind words to him as his retirement day comes closer. “I thank everyone for all of the accolades and the community for allowing me to do what has been the best job. It’s been an honour and a pleasure to work here.”

Once retirement officially kicks in, Roushias said he’ll take the first three months to figure out what comes next.

He said the Beaches Recreation Centre continues to be in great hands with current and new staffers carrying on his long legacy of serving local residents. “The future looks bright,” he said. “They’ll be keeping up the good work and helping everybody out.”

Some of the many community events that Roushias has been proud to take part in through the Beaches Recreation Centre’s involvement include The Spring Sprint, the Christmas events such as a recent party for kids and the Pancake Breakfast with Santa, Carolling in the Park (which has been taking place for more than 40 years), collecting donations for local food banks and other organizations helping those in need, and the many summer camp and recreation programs the centre offers.

“I think we’ve really made those summer camps so valuable for the parents who need to have a place for their kids while they work,” he said. “We’ve made those programs bigger and better.”

Roushias did not want to single out individuals for thanks as he’s worked with so many wonderful people over the years. “I’d have to mention everybody and I don’t want to miss anyone, and that includes all the dogs who come in with their owners to say hello.”

Roland Roushias, second from left, stands beside the giant cutout of himself that will be on display at the Beaches Recreation Centre. The cutout was presented by community members to honour Roushias who is retiring this week after 44 years at the Williamson Road centre. On hand for the ceremony were (from left-to-right) Shah Ruby, Roland Roushias, Cookie, Frank Domagala, and Victoria Flie-Clancy.