Mark Sproule-Jones has been the Victor K. Copps Chair of Urban Studies at McMaster University since 1982. He has played a central role in the development of the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan, twice been president of the Bay Area Restoration Council and was also the founding president of Environment Hamilton.
In the early 1990s Mark helped prepare and became the principal investigator in the $2.1 million Ecowise project which made significant advances in many harbour areas including air and water quality and ecological restoration. Under his leadership faculty from five universities worked closely with community groups and government agencies.
In this and other work Mark has bridged the gap between academia and the real world. He is one of the rare academics who combines profound research and writing with effective participation in community organizations. A reflection of this is the fact that he has been quoted or cited in more than 130 media articles in the last 15 years.
Mark has taken on the role of watchdog over the remediation of Randle Reef, keeping the negotiators on their toes and challenging any weakening of their efforts to achieving the best solution to this critically contaminated harbour site.
Mark’s effortless ability to combine good humour and a calm approach with a militant adherence to principles continues to make an immense contribution to the achievement of long-term sustainability in Hamilton.
