Page 12 - Summer 2024 TYC Magazine
P. 12

The YORI<. Club Magazine                                                                    Summer 2024 Edition


   Caretaker Extraordinaire: Kevin Butler
















































     When Kevin Butler began working at The YORK Club as       remembered Butler. "I knew the position would be
     a part-time bartender in 2017, neither he nor             vacant soon, and as soon as it was I applied for it."
     management could have envisioned he would grow into       The transition included a month shadowing longtime,
     the role of  maintenance and facilities manager.          outgoing building manager Luis and his 40 years of
     Today, however, the now-former bartender is tasked with   experience and trade secrets.
     taking care of the grand old Gooderham home -  and        "I followed Luis around for about a month and he
     overseeing a staff dedicated to, as he puts it, 'all the little   showed me  ... well, he wasn't really interested in
     things' to ensure it remains beautiful.                   showing me how to do his job," laughed Butler. "He
     "I love the building, its architecture, the wood carvings,   did show me where a few shut-offs were, and I didn't
     its history," reflected Butler, who transitioned into his   worry about it too much.
     current role in 2022. "Being from Toronto, born and       "Maintenance needed a refocus, and maybe it was
     bred, one of  the things that stands out about the Club is   good that he didn't overshare -  there was definitely
     it's part of the history of Toronto.                      a lot to do!"
     "It's important to preserve that history- far too many    Swapping his bartender's bowtie for the maintenance
     of these buildings disappear over the years."             team's traditional blue, Club-branded shirt and dark
     While transitioning into a managerial role in a different   tie has been a tremendous change for Kevin Butler.
     department was not originally in Butler's plans, the      He looks forward to serving the membership for many
     opportunity presented itself at the right time.           years to come.
     "I'd been promoted to full-time senior bartender a
     number of years before, (and) I slowly discovered I
     wanted to transition away from bartending,"
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