Clive Tanner, a champion of the printed word who made his own indelible imprint on the Saanich Peninsula, has died.
Tanner, whose name is as synonymous with Sidney as its Beacon Wharf, died at his home on Sept. 9 surrounded by his family. He was 88.
“Clive was a giant in our community,” said Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith, a close friend.
“He had an enormous passion for Sidney and gave a huge amount of his time to the boards of innumerable community organizations. I really learned the meaning of community involvement through working with Clive.”
McNeil-Smith said Tanner demonstrated how local business can be truly engaged with the community and support community organizations.
“He just had a passion. He got up every day to try and make things a little better,” McNeil-Smith said.
Tanner pushed for a Sidney Business Improvement Association in the 1990s, and was the driving force behind establishing Sidney as Booktown — a destination for those who love reading.
The idea was inspired by the town of Hay-on-Wye in Wales, which Tanner and his wife, Christine, would visit on periodic trips back to the U.K. The Welsh town promoted itself through its large number of bookstores.
“We were immediately drawn to that,” Christine said. “We thought: ‘Why not make Sidney a book town?’ ”
In addition to adding more of their own stores in Sidney, eventually reaching six, they helped others start bookshops.
With his guidance and their investment, Sidney at one point boasted a dozen bookstores. The bookstore Tanner’s was sold to McNeil-Smith about two decades ago.
John Treleaven, a director with the Saanich Peninsula Chamber, said you can’t think of Beacon Avenue without thinking of Clive Tanner.
“There’s two words that always go together, Sidney and Tanner,” Treleaven said. “He’s made an amazing contribution to the community.”
Former Sidney mayor Steve Price said: “Clive was part of the fabric of life in Sidney. Everybody knew him, everybody liked him and everybody respected him.
“He really added to the spice of life in Sidney for sure. He definitely left his mark in the town.”
Tanner was a natural businessman with “a lot of energy, a lot of ideas,” said Christine Tanner, his wife and business partner for 61 years.
He had a good sense of humour, was adventurous, and was not afraid of taking risks, she said Tuesday.
Tanner was forthright, happy and optimistic. He always looked at the bright side, she said.
Son Peter said his father lived life fully, never did anything in half measures and stood fast on his principles. They had a poker game planned for this weekend.
Tanner was from England, living in Sussex and London prior to evacuating to Toronto at age seven during the Second World War. He arrived with his mother and four siblings while his father remained behind.
After the war, Tanner returned to England where he completed the required two years military service. He served in Egypt and Cyprus. A senior officer encouraged him to consider a military career, but Tanner was eager to return to Canada, Christine said.
Tanner lived in Montreal and Toronto before moving to Vancouver, where he met Christine and where their children were born. When he first moved to Canada, he sold magazine subscriptions, followed by several other jobs including working on a railway.
He was always drawn to new experiences, said Christine.
When the children were young, the family moved to the Yukon. At that time, Clive Tanner wanted a change from Vancouver. He hitchhiked up there one time, encouraged to relocate by the driver who stopped for him, Christine said.
Once in the Yukon, the Tanners bought a small newsstand-type business which sold a variety of products including books, tobacco, pipes and gold jewelry from Dawson City. They opened a book store, adding an art gallery in the lower level, and lived in the Yukon for a decade.
While there, Clive Tanner, a life-long Liberal was elected to the Yukon Territorial Council, serving as health minister.
“He really got a taste of politics,” Christine said. “He was always the kind of person who listened to both sides.”
Peter said his father “really wanted to help people in the community he lived in.” Clive told Peter of advocating for land claims for local First Nations and advocating for health care while in that portfolio.
When the children got older, the family left the Yukon to be close to post-secondary schools. After a couple of years on Yale Street in Oak Bay, they moved to Sidney.
The Tanners bought the building at 2436 Beacon Ave. which remains as Tanner’s Books, later expanding by purchasing the building next door.
The Tanners became involved with the Liberal party as soon as they arrived in Sidney. In 1991, Clive Tanner was elected as the Liberal MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.
He ran for leader of the B.C. Liberal party but injured his leg and bowed out. He was susceptible to injuries on that leg because of past skiing accidents in Quebec, Christine said. “There was no way he could do a campaign.”
“Clive really believed government at all levels could improve the lives and opportunities for people,” said McNeil-Smith.
“I think we have a healthy democracy at all levels of government because of people like Clive Tanner, and Sidney is certainly a better place because of Clive Tanner. And I feel I’m a better person from the great time we had together. I’ll miss him dearly.”
Tanner remained active in his community, serving many non-profit organizations.
Books always remained in the family — a decade after selling Tanner’s Books, the Tanners opened Beacon Books in Sidney on 4,000 square feet. Christine, 85, continues to manage it.
Tanner is survived by Christine and four children — Marc, Peter, Rebecca and Gisele — six grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
— With Andrew A. Duffy
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