Richmond has lost one of its “huge pillars” and a “sporting icon.”
That’s the sentiment of veteran city councillor Bill McNulty, after the sudden passing of his friend of 50 years and Richmond Sports Council co-founder Jim Lamond, who was 93.
Lamond passed away in Richmond Hospital on Friday, July 1 after a brief battle with COVID, which had escalated to pneumonia.
As well as spearheading the sports council – of which he was still chair – Lamond and McNulty were heavily involved in the Canada Games and spent decades together lobbying various levels of government for funding for sport and for tournaments to be hosted in Richmond.
He was a founding member of the Richmond chapter of KidSport and was inducted into Richmond Sports Wall of Fame in 2016 after successfully chairing the 2009 Richmond Senior Games Committee.
Lamond was a volunteer soccer coach for the team his son, Jim jnr., was playing on in South Arm, before rising through the ranks at city, provincial and national soccer association levels.
Lamond's death came as a "shock"
“It was a shock. He was doing extremely well,” McNulty told the Richmond News on Monday.
“Jim was a huge pillar in the sporting world, not just in Richmond, but provincially and nationally as well.
“We were the ones that came up with the idea of forming a sports council in Richmond back in the ‘70s…but it took us to ’84 because we had to fight with the city council of the day. They didn’t like the fact there would be another ‘council’ in Richmond.
“He was heavily involved in soccer and I was in track and field, but he did so much for so many other sports. So many events and facilities wouldn’t be here today without Jim. He has left big shoes to fill.
“We did so many things together. I saw him a few weeks ago for a coffee and he was looking well.”
Indeed, the News’ publisher, Alvin Chow, had nothing but praise for Lamond, despite only meeting him for the first time in 2018.
“My first encounter with Jim was for the Seniors 55+ BC Games bidding, when he approached me to gain support of the bidding,” said Chow.
“Richmond eventually won the bid but the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
“But I had various encounters with Jim at Richmond Sports Council and Kidsport Richmond.
Lamond was a "shining example"
“Jim was a shining example of a true community citizen.”
Richmond News reader Bob Jackson, another longtime friend of Lamond, joined in the tributes, describing him as a “great citizen of Richmond.”
As well as his numerous sporting achievements, Jackson pointed to Lamond’s volunteering for the Royal Canadian Legion, where he was an active member for more than 70 years.
“During the last 35 years, Jim was a stalwart, selling Legion poppies in front of the Ironwood B.C Liquor Store for the 10 days each year prior to Remembrance Day,” Jackson told the News.
A native of Scotland, Lamond was in the British Army at the end of the Second World War and was involved in the Berlin Airlift after the war ended.
He immigrated to Toronto in the early ‘50s before settling in Richmond in the late '60s.
“Jim made Richmond a better community. He will be missed,” added Jackson.
Lamond is survived by his wife, June, and two children, Chris Carr and Jim jnr and wife Raj and two grandchildren Kiran and Colin.
A celebration of life has been planned for Saturday, Aug. 13 at 2 p.m. at the South Arm Community Centre.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to KidSport Richmond in Lamond's name.
