‘I gave my life to this city’: At 87, former Port Colborne mayor Bob Saracino still in fighting mode

It’s been more than 15 years since Bob Saracino last held elected office, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t paying attention to what’s going on.

The fire to help the city where he’s lived and worked and raised a family still burns as hot as ever.

Now 87, Saracino entered the political arena 53 years ago as an alderman in 1972 and quickly forged a reputation among voters for his passionate devotion to his hometown of Port Colborne.

He became the south Niagara city’s mayor in 1977, a position he held until 1995. He also served as Port Colborne’s regional councillor for 14 years until he was unseated in 2010 by newcomer David Barrick by a vote differential of just 165 ballots.

These days, Saracino enjoys his retirement by staying involved in the local fight to keep Port Colborne’s urgent car