Alan Kenzie

As a teenager, Roy was a student of Northern Tech High School, where he excelled in architectural drafting. As there were no Universities in Canada offering an architectural degree, Roy applied, and was accepted to the program at Kalamazoo in Michigan. He earned his undergraduate degree in Architecture and Urban Planning. He then obtained his Masters and PhD in Architecture and Urban Planning from Virginia Tech. Roy's first position was as the Assistant Urban Design Director for the City of Atlanta, where his conceptual thinking led to the downtown pedestrian mall, the MARTA rapid transit system, and Peachtree Plaza. Roy's efforts in Alanta did not go unnoticed, and he was approached to redesign the City of Miami Florida, which had it's heyday in the 50's and 60's, but was in need of a major facelift. Roy accepted the challenge by giving incentives to property owners who invested in neglected properties, particularly in the South Beach area. He revitalised the downtown area which included a makeover of Byscannye Bay park, including an amphitheater and brightly lit walkways. Roy is remembered by the city in the renaming of the Brickell Bridge, the Roy F Kenzie Bridge. Roy also served the Carter and Reagan administrations as a Director of HUD ( Housing & Urban Development). He will always be remembered by those who knew him by his kindness and fairness, and his sense of humor. His legacy is the beautiful modern skyline of today's Miami. He is sorely missed.