The mayor of St. John’s, Danny Breen, says former mayor Andy Wells had a “great impact” during his 30-year career in municipal politics.
Wells, who passed away earlier this week, is being remembered for his “larger than life” personality.
He says Wells didn’t mince words, and people knew where he stood on every issue. Breen says Wells had a strong love for the city, and ultimately he will be remembered for “being Andy Wells.”
Recalling some of his memories of the former Mayor, Breen says they “ran full circuit.”
(File photo)
Breen recalls having the support of Wells when he first ran for office in 2009, however, somewhere along the way that “went off the rails” and they ran against each other in 2017. Breen says despite that, he always had great respect for Wells.
O’Keefe Remembers Wells
Former Mayor Dennis O’Keefe remembers well Andy Wells’s efforts in helping to secure St. John’s harbour as a cruise ship destination.
O’Keefe recollects one encounter between Mayor Andy Wells and the chief executive of one particular cruise ship line.
The executive asked them “why would I want to send a cruise ship to St. John’s? You don’t even have trees there.” O’Keefe says Wells looked at the executive with “a look of horror and disgust” and O’Keefe waited for the expected response “because Andy could be fiery.” Instead, Wells grunted, and left and shortly after that the cruise ship line was sending ships to the port of St. John’s.
