By Kris Kane, Chair of the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle Blues & Jazz Festival.

Hazel McCallion was a true champion for the arts and while she claimed she did not have an artistic bone in her body, Hazel recognized that a city without artistic opportunities was a city without a heart. She particularly enjoyed the Tim Hortons Southside Shuffle and attended almost every event in our 25-year history and could be seen “shuffling” down Lakeshore during our Rabba Fine Foods Street Shuffle event on Saturday afternoons.

Hazel was a dear friend of our founder Chuck Jackson who upon hearing the sad news of her passing commented:  ‘Hazel was a great supporter of the Southside Shuffle and she became the ‘Queen of the Mississauga Delta. ’ She often mentioned the harmonica that I gave her at her retirement party and joked that she was practicing to be the in the band. The fond memories of her dancing down Lakeshore Rd. will always be close to my heart!’ 

All of us associated with the Shuffle send our deepest condolences to the McCallion family along with the thousands of Mississauga residents who watched this political icon build the great city that she envisioned during her 36 years as our Mayor. The Shuffle family will miss her greatly.