Despite losing a dedicated community photographer and resident four years ago, he was honoured once again today (Oct. 28) in Prince George.
Dave Mah was a well-respected and loved member of the Prince George media, and city itself, for more than 20 years where he worked for the Prince George Citizen and Prince George This Week.
Mah passed away from cancer on May 7, 2016, at just 55 years of age.
"Dave was a friend to everyone who met him," longtime friend Jason Peters said. "That was on a personal level and on a professional level. It was impossible to meet Dave and not come away with a smile on your face [...] He was just one of those people."
Two new benches in Mah's honour now sit outside CN Centre to honour this memory after being unveiled this morning.
Mah spent numerous hours at the now 25-year-old arena taking photos of everything and anything, remembered as someone who had true passion for his job, photos and those around him.
"He was so, so skilled [as a photographer], he was passionate about what he did," Peters added.
"He was a guy who always stayed until he got the best shot he could possibly get. Whether it was at a birthday party, an anniversary, an event at CN Centre or a photo of a police incident, Dave always stayed until he got the best shot he could.
"He was always so respectful with everyone he met on the scene and around the community."
The idea to dedicate benches in Mah's name came from Glen (Moose) Scott. He phoned former CN Centre Manager Glen Mikkelsen and the timing couldn't have been better.
Mikkelsen told Scott it was a coincidental time to call because they had been talking about installing new benches outside the arena for people to use.
Peters says the cost was $4,300 for the benches and that goal, and then some, was met.
"We basically raised double that through community support, which I think says a lot about what people in this city and community thought about Dave."
Each bench displays a plaque in honour of Mah and his contributions.
"He just won everybody over," another longtime friend Chuck Nisbett said at the unveiling.
"Without being obnoxious about it, he was just very, very good at what he did. He just got better and better and better. The more people that met him, the more friends he had."
Projected Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond also shared her fond memories of Dave, always seeing him with a smile on his face and keeping up with her and community events.
"Dave and Billy and I spent virtually every weekend together. Why? Because David's job was to photograph events in the community. So if I was there, Dave was usually there. One of the things that I loved about him was, he would come over to me and say 'where are you going next?' and I would tell him.
"Whether or not that was on his list or not, he ended up being there as well. We spent a lot of very special weekends together."
Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall also spoke highly of Mah, who he said often knew his schedule before he even found out.
"This is so appropriate [the benches]. Many people ask me what the memories are I have of David and much like Shirley, I would come across David on weekends. He was taking pictures at events that I was at and it was just where you were headed to next.
"Quite often, he knew my schedule before I knew my schedule. That's the kind of guy he was and that was the kind of work he put into the community."
With the remaining money from fundraising efforts for the benches, a total of $2,062.76 was donated to the BC Cancer Foundation - Prince George Centre For The North and $2,062.76 to the Canadian Cancer Society.
