Bill Young served as Director of Student Services at Vanier College in Montreal and later at Heritage College in Hull, until his retirement. In 1997, he was founding executive director of the Greenwood Centre for Living History in Hudson, Quebec, where he originated many of the community-oriented initiatives that have made Greenwood a pivotal organization in Hudson and beyond, including (among others) StoryFest, an annual autumn celebration of Canadian authors and heritage.
Bill Young retired as executive director in 2003, but he is still actively involved in Greenwood’s activities as a Director Emeritus and volunteer. Recently, the Town of Hudson announced that Greenwood would be given heritage status, which is a tribute to Bill and his successors’ hard work and tenacity in setting up the museum. Bill’s legacy can be seen in the ongoing success of Greenwood, which is on view on its website, http://greenwoodcentre- hudson.org.
Bill Young’s community involvement as a volunteer has not been limited to Greenwood. He served on the board of the Hudson Historical Society for a number of years. He is also a writer and journalist, with a regular column appearing in the West Island edition of the Montreal Gazette, and articles published in Quebec Heritage News. In 2006, he collaborated with Danny Gallagher on the best-selling book, Remembering the Montreal Expos.
In 2012, Bill was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in honour of his contributions to Greenwood.