Friends and family are mourning the death of former Port Alberni city councillor Helen Poon — who also ran provincially for the BC Liberals in the Mid-Island-Pacific Rim riding.
Friends say Poon made a significant impact in the Alberni Valley since moving there about six years ago.
She was known as a cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking, car enthusiast who friends say — above all — had an incredible love for people.
“Conversation with incredible attention and listening skill,” said Thomas Woywitka, a close friend.
“And a steel trap memory and a genuine love and concern for, and sharing passion with, everybody she crossed paths with,” said Jeff Cullen, another friend.
Woywitka and Cullen met Poon when she showed up to buy a Saab 900 in Vancouver 11 years ago. They became fast friends around their diverse love for cars.
“We loved everything from the $500 beater Lincoln town car to the million dollar Ferrari, like we appreciate it all,” said Cullen.
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Friend Jeff Cullen says this is the car Helen Poon favoured in recent years – a Citroen 2CV
It’s estimated Helen Poon owned at least 20 vehicles.
Friends say Poon was travelling in New Zealand and having the time of her life, when she was involved in a serious car crash this week. Poon died in hospital leaving family and friends crushed.
Poon bought Port Alberni’s Kingsway Hotel in 2017 and moved to the city soon after to restore it to its former glory.
“She thought she could improve that community and take it somewhere it had just not been before, and she had ideas to make it beautiful for everyone and she invited every single friend to come to Port Alberni — and we all went,” said Woywitka, who lives in Vancouver.
Poon then ran for Port Alberni City Council and won — becoming the city’s first transgender councillor.
“She kind of came out of nowhere in Port Alberni. She moved to Port Alberni and really started just trying to make things happen, and everyone was like, ‘Who is this Helen Poon?'” said Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions.
Minions said Poon was instrumental in the city’s decision to purchase the former Somass Mill property.
“Helen was for progress and moving the community forward,” said Minions.
Tannis Laviolette was going through a difficult time when she met Poon and ended up living at her house for more than two years for free.
“The second she came to Port Alberni everything changed. Everyone started being more open about different communities and she wanted to know, like genuinely know, the people she was surrounded by,” said Laviolette.
Tali Campbell worked on Poon’s provincial election campaign for the BC Liberals in 2020. Poon pledged to donate all her salary to charity if elected.
“Didn’t matter what it was, there was always a positive outlook on how we were going to deal with this,” said Campbell. “Even today in how I deal with things in my own life I think about Helen and how she would deal with things.”
Helen Poon — who friends call iconic — was only 34 years old.
Thomas Woywitka helping Poon move one of her cars. Woywitka says vehicle break-downs were not uncommon
Kendall Hanson
