Frank Henry Plant (November 17, 1883 – November 7, 1952) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

businessman and politician. Plant served as

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

from 1921 to 1923 and in 1930. He also served on Ottawa Council from 1917 until 1921 and from 1925 until 1930. He was born in

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...

in 1883 and came to Ottawa with his family in 1900. Plant worked in various accounting jobs during his youth and later got into the investment business. In the 1924 directory, Plant was listed as president of W. H. Plant, Limited, carriage makers on Murray Street. Plant was first elected in 1917 to Ottawa Council, winning again in 1918, and 1919 on the Board of Control. Plant defeated Joseph Kent by six votes in the 1921 mayoral election, confirmed by a margin of 22 votes in the recount. Plant won in 1922 by 5,000 votes and was acclaimed as mayor in the 1923 election. Plant lost the January 1924 mayoral election to Henry Watters. Plant returned to council as a controller in 1925. Plant remained a controller until 1930, when he was chosen as mayor. Plant left municipal politics in 1930 to run in federal politics, but was defeated in the 1930 federal election in the riding of Ottawa. As an

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, he helped introduce the "two platoon" system for firefighters in the city. Before that, firefighters were on duty 24 hours per day every day. Plant served as president of the Ottawa City Hockey League and the City Baseball League during the 1920s. Plant served as a member of the Ottawa Hydro Commission from 1936 until 1951. Plant also served as a director of the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

hockey team, a director of the

Ottawa Nationals The Ottawa Nationals were a professional men's ice hockey team out of Ottawa that played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) during the 1972–73 WHA season. The WHA had originally granted a franchise to Doug Michel for "Ontario." Original p ...

baseball team, vice-president of the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Association, president of the Ottawa Kennel Club and a long-time (over 20 years) director of the Central Canada Exhibition Association. The Plant Bath, a recreational facility originally built in 1924, is named after him. The pool, along with Champagne Pool, was personally championed by Plant. A home of Plant's at 170 Clemow Avenue in Ottawa, is a designated heritage structure. It is used today as the High Commission of

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

. Plant died at his home on Clemow Avenue on November 11, 1952. He had spent the previous day at a kennel club meeting and listened to a hockey game on the radio.

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Plant, Frank 1883 births 1952 deaths Mayors of Ottawa Politicians from London, Ontario