When we are able to resume public meetings, we’ve invited Dr. William Rapley to talk to the next meeting of Friends of One Mile Creek.
Rapley became the Niagara on the Lake representative on the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) board in October 2019 following his recommendation by Town Council to Niagara Region. Rapley took the seat that had been filled on an interim basis by regional councillor Gary Zalepa.
Born in Hamilton, Rapley’s lifelong interests are in nature and the environment. He pursued a unique career combining veterinary medicine, biology, conservation and administration.
Now retired, Rapley was a veterinarian at the Toronto Zoo from 1973 to 1982 as well as Executive Director, Conservation, Education and Wildlife from 1989 to 2017). As division head, he managed 125 staff, university students, seasonal staff and volunteers : overseeing conservation, education and outreach, wildlife species care and exhibits: curatorial, veterinary, nutrition, green and scientific. He has written 100 scientific articles and publications, given many lectures, seminars; scientific and public presentations and participated in professional committees. He played a key role in the breeding, reintroduction and in-site conservation of hundreds of species as well as habitat protection and restoration projects.
Rapley served as an adjunct professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph; as a member of the graduate faculty at the York University biology department; and as a member of the adjunct faculty in biology at the University of Toronto.