Karen Anne Smith

Karen Anne Smith

Karen Anne Smith passed away suddenly on September 28th, 2018. Karen was born in Peterborough Ontario, June 25th 1960, to the late Dr. Paul Smith and is survived by her mother Glenna Cooke (nee Bussell). Beloved wife of Gregory Hertel, loving mother of Hannah Hertel and Madelene Hertel. Karen is survived by her brother David (Margot) and nieces Sabrina (Jansyn), Holly and Amanda.

Attending public school in Peterborough and Sydney Australia, Karen moved to Mississauga and attended Lorne Park Secondary School where she was an active member of the touring children’s theatre group, Fantasy and Fairy Tales. A graduate of the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Waterloo, Karen began her professional career as an urban planner with Marshall, Macklin and Monahan. She subsequently moved to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing where she worked for over twenty-five years.

A member of C.I.P. (Canadian Institute of Planners) and a R.P.P. (Registered Professional Planner), Karen was an innovative and energetic planner who through her many years of service at M.M.A.H., moved through the ranks of the professional civil service eventually becoming the Municipal Support Services Branch Manager of Client Services and later the Manager of Municipal Programs and Education.

The winner of numerous awards for her innovative work, included: Co-developing Policy Guidelines for the Oak Ridges Moraine, providing expert testimony at O.M.B. hearings, the One Window Planning Appeals, the Toronto-Durham Lake Ontario Waterfront Initiatives, Secondary Use Policies for Hydro Corridors, Municipalities and Climate Change, Planning Act Reforms, Municipal Subdivision and Consent Tool Kits, Waterfront Development, Transit Planning in the G.T.A., Energy Efficiency, Growth Management, Demographic Forecasting, Toronto Intensification Opportunities and Natural Heritage.

A life-long lover of theatre, the arts and culture, Karen was also an active traveller who loved nothing more than planning her next trip with Gregory, Hannah and Madelene including numerous trips throughout Canada, the U.S.A., the Caribbean, South America, the U.K. and Europe.

Karen is lovingly remembered by her aunts Beverly Routley (Winnipeg) Lorna Ellis (Clinton) and their families, step-sister Danielle Macdonald (Brisbane, Australia) and her family, Michelle MacLennan (Nanaimo), the late Gus MacLennan as well her large network of dear social friends, high school friends, School of Urban and Regional Planning class of 1983 classmates, associates and neighbors.

A memorial visitation will be held at the Jerrett Funeral Home, 660 Kennedy Road, Scarborough, Ontario on Saturday October 6th, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. A memorial service will follow at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations in memory of Karen be made to C.A.M.H. (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health).