Flags across Spruce Grove, Alberta, are flying at half-mast as the community mourns former mayor Ken Scott, who passed away on August 6, 2026. Current Mayor Jeff Acker ordered all city flags lowered for seven days to honour a man who led the city as mayor from 2001 to 2007.
Scott dedicated 17 years to local government, including 11 years as an alderman and six as mayor. His time in office left a lasting mark on the community. Under his leadership, the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre opened in 2002, giving residents a major recreation hub shared with Stony Plain and Parkland County. Scott also helped launch the first regular commuter bus service from Spruce Grove to Edmonton, starting in January 2006 as a pilot project. He was a key force behind Jubilee Park, now the city’s top outdoor recreation spot.
Before politics, Scott served 17 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. He rose to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major and earned an honourable discharge. He remained active in the veterans’ community as a longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion Spruce Grove Branch 281.
Scott was also a familiar face on McLeod Avenue. He owned and operated Docherty’s Fish and Chips for more than 20 years. He poured countless hours into local hockey, serving as president of Spruce Grove Minor Hockey and coaching youth teams. In 2002, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for his passion and commitment to public service.
Scott stepped away from the mayor’s chair in 2007 as he faced the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. Stuart Houston succeeded him. Around 2013, after his diagnosis, Scott founded the Parkland Shakers, a support group for people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.
Mayor Jeff Acker described Scott as a mentor and a man who truly shaped the city. “He was a wonderful mentor to me and many others,” Acker said, recalling Scott’s trademark red and white track suit worn every Canada Day. The relationship runs deep. Acker’s father, Joe Acker, served as mayor from 1992 to 2001, handing the role directly to Scott. Jeff Acker was elected mayor in 2021, two decades after his father left office.
The city’s statement on Scott’s passing drew nearly 600 reactions online, a testament to the mark he left on Spruce Grove.
