McNab remembered for long service as Rosetown mayor

By David McIver

Rosetown’s longest-serving mayor, Robert P. “Bob” McNab, died on April 3 in Saskatoon.

McNab, who would have turned 100 in September, had been mayor here for 23 years, from 1963 to 1976 and from 1982 to 1991.

His first experience on town council came as an alderman, first being elected in 1959, stated a document on local mayors in the library archives.

Rosetown Mayor Robert P. “Bob” McNab, in about 1965. Courtesy of the Rosetown Centennial Library archives

After retiring from the council scene in 1976, McNab “was prevailed upon to run again,” stated the Kindersley Memories history book.

During McNab’s terms as mayor, Rosetown experienced “considerable growth,” during which major capital projects were undertaken, such as a water treatment plant, a new hospital, a new library, a 28-unit seniors’ lodge, a modern sewage lagoon, a drainage system, waterline replacement, sidewalks, curbs and street paving, said the archive document.

“He has worked for good housing for seniors and low-income public housing and improvements to the Rosetown airport, the community hall and the sports centre,” it said.

McNab sat on the Rosetown Union Hospital board from 1964 to 1970, was secretary and president of the Rosetown Board of Trade and had been president of the Saskatchewan Motor Club.

He had also been a member and president of the Rosetown Kinsmen Club, as well as a Kinsmen deputy governor.

In 1977, people here recognized McNab’s service to the community by naming a 32-apartment senior housing complex after him.

McNab was born in Outlook, the fourth and youngest child of Robert J. and Hulda K. McNab. The family moved to Kindersley in August 1932, with the father having been transferred there as the travelling superintendent with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.

Bob McNab and his siblings grew up and received their schooling in Kindersley. In 1949, McNab graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor of arts degree. In 1949, he married Jean MacLeod of Yorkton.

They had children Catherine, Laurie, Robert, James and Brian.

In 1950, Bob and Jean came to Rosetown when he took the role of manager of Jack Bellward’s Men’s Wear. The business was then located on First Avenue West but moved later that year to its long-time location at 211 Main Street.

McNab took over as owner in 1955 and continued in the men’s wear business until his retirement in 1993.

Robert Paton worked as an assistant in McNab’s store for 27 years. Of their time together, “It was great,” said Paton.

When Eileen Robson, a present resident of McNab Place, and husband Bud got married in 1958, they got wedding suits from his store.

“They were tailor-made and I don’t know where they got that done. They’re nice. I’ve still got my wedding suit,” she said with a laugh.

McNab “was a really good businessman ... and did the town a lot of good as the mayor,” said Robson.

Retiring from his business came just two years after his deciding not to run again as mayor. Choosing to leave the mayoralty role fulfilled an understanding McNab had made with his family during the previous municipal election.

He and Jean subsequently moved to Saskatoon.

They did get back to Rosetown at least once, for the 2005 homecoming.

She died in 2016.

Two members of his last council could be reached for comment.

McNab “was very conscious about trying to keep costs down,” said David Smith, who was on council during McNab’s last term from 1988 to 1991.

McNab was “making sure that the town was doing well but not a big burden to the taxpayer,” said Smith.

As well, “Bob was OK with moving the landfill out of town,” he said.

Also, “I know he was the one who put me on the hospital board. He was very interested in what was going on with the town and always had a keen interest in stuff that was going on,” said Smith.

McNab “didn’t like change too much and I can appreciate that as I get older ... and especially if you’ve had things that have worked OK in the past, why change it?” he said.

Another member of that last council, Subhas Maharaj, went on to succeed him as mayor in fall 1991.

“He was very personable, someone who listened,” said Maharaj.

McNab “was very concerned about his community and tried to do what was in the best interests of everyone around him. Those were some very admirable qualities that he had.”

He “showed good leadership in terms of the direction of the town,” said Maharaj, who pointed to the naming of McNab Place as a result of that.

“A lot of credit has to be given to him in terms of the development of the community,” he said.

McNab’s many years as mayor is also “a credit to the respect he had in the community,” said Maharaj.

In January 1991, in his last interview about the forthcoming year, McNab spoke about being positive about the town.

“Sometimes I think we downgrade Rosetown too much. We should talk it up more. We’ve had tough times before. We have to hang in there and show some optimism.”