Wells Gray

Arthur Wellesley Gray (1876 – 7 May 1944) was a British Columbia cabinet minister and mayor. He is particularly noted for his work creating some of British Columbia's early provincial parks and Wells Gray Provincial Park is named for him. His colleagues usually called him by his nickname, "Wells".

Early life Gray was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, in 1876. As a youth, he achieved distinction in lacrosse and was a member of the New Westminster Salmonbellies Club which won the world lacrosse championship in 1900.

Career At age 30, Gray was elected alderman of New Westminster and at age 36 he became mayor, a post he held from 1913 to 1919 and again from 1927 to 1930. In 1927, he was also elected to the British Columbia Legislature in Victoria and was re-elected at the next four provincial elections with significant majorities. In 1933, Premier Duff Pattullo appointed Gray Minister of Lands and in 1934, he was given the additional duties of Minister of Municipal Affairs.

Death and legacy Gray died suddenly in Victoria from a heart ailment on May 7, 1944. Royal Maitland, a fellow cabinet minister, commented, "No man ever had a greater interest in his own town than he had in New Westminster and everywhere you look in the Royal City you see a monument to something he has accomplished there. A quiet lovable man, he will be greatly missed by the thousands who knew him."