Friday marked the end of Frank Lynn’s impressive 31-year run as a reporter with CTV Kitchener.
After stints in Whitehorse and other parts of Ontario, Frank joined CTV Kitchener in 1985.
While primarily a reporter, Frank has held a number of roles at the station, spending time working as an anchor, assignment editor and producer.
Viewers came to know him for his ardent coverage of local business news, as longstanding factories closed down and technology companies came to play a bigger role in Waterloo Region’s economy.
He covered some of southwestern Ontario’s biggest stories, including the inquiry into the Walkerton water crisis, the 2011 tornado in his hometown of Goderich, and dozens of federal, provincial and municipal elections.
Frank Lynn prepares for his final live report, from a Friday the 13th gathering in Port Dover, on Friday, May 13, 2016. (Terry Kelly / CTV Kitchener)
Behind the scenes, Frank’s coworkers know him as a man with an unending curiosity and interest in news stories in general, and a more specific passion for politics, as well as a tremendous sense of humour.
That sense of humour was evident when Frank talked about his career and retirement with Meghan Furman.
Asked first why he was retiring, Frank responded with his characteristic humility, saying “I’m 65 years old, and it’s probably long past time I get out of the way.”
He was more sincere with his final thoughts, in which he thanked the audience that had stuck with him for more than three decades.
“Because of them, and because of the sponsors that spend their advertising dollars at our station, I was able to make a living for a very long time, and I’m grateful for that,” he said.
As for future plans, Frank says he’s not thinking about anything past the summer, which he plans to spend sitting on beaches and reading books as often as possible.
