One of the pioneers of Mount Pearl is marking his 100th birthday this Friday.

Mr. Stephen Thistle was surrounded by family and friends at Hillcrest Estates in Mount Pearl this past weekend as they celebrated a century of life. They came from the United States, Nova Scotia and elsewhere to mark the special occasion. Thistle even got up for a dance.

He came to Mount Pearl from Carbonear in the early 1940s, and still remembers riding the family Newfoundland Pony bareback as a child. He was among the first seven families to stay in Mount Pearl during the winter.

Thistle was a member of the school board. As the population grew bigger, the community wanted a new two-room school—which Thistle played a part in building.

He eventually went on to help build a seven-room school as well as the First United Church.

Later in life, he was the Vice-President of the CN Railway Union for 20 years.

Thistle joked, saying he was up to his neck in work, and had no idea what he was getting himself into.

Spending the bulk of his life with his wife and seven children at their home on Park Avenue, with dirt roads and no snow plows, Thistle never expected Mount Pearl to grow into what it has today.

After 100 years, he has no regrets.

Thistle says he doesn’t know what to make of Mount Pearl growing into a big city, but he’s proud of what he accomplished. If he had the chance, Thistle says he’d do it all over again.

That said, he does have some advice for young people:

Thistle states he can’t live anyone else’s life for them, but encourages people to be honest, and do what they can for their community, and you’ll never regret it.

He did a lot of work for Mount Pearl, and isn’t sorry at all. If you’re living in a community, Thistle says you should do whatever you can to help out.