Leonard Poole was born in Toronto in 1951 and graduated from Queens’ University with a degree in Geography and Psychology. He worked in the transportation industry for almost 30 years, the last 20 for United Parcel Service, initially as a unionized employee, and later in a variety of increasingly responsible management positions.

Leonard is an active participant in his community. In 2001, he joined the board of directors of the Overbrook-Forbes Community Resource Centre Food Bank, where he has served as President (2002-2004) and Treasurer (2004-2007). He has served on the Board of the Community Council of Overbrook (CCO) since 2002, as President until 2006.

After the devastating local floods of 2004, he worked with community members in Overbrook and Sandy Hill to organize a coordinated response, securing firm commitments of major infrastructure renewal from the City of Ottawa. He successfully lobbied on behalf of the CCO to have a pedestrian link between the Transitway station and the Lynx stadium included in the City of Ottawa Transportation Master Plan. He has also been an active participant in the community response to plans for redevelopment of the Rockcliffe Airbase, fighting to ensure a sustainable, liveable community.

Leonard is an avid cyclist who has toured through Ontario, New York State and England. He gave up personal automobile ownership in early 2006.

For more information on the local association, please visit ottawavaniergreens.ca.