Rita Ubriaco

Rita Amelia Ubriaco was born in Port Arthur on January 5, 1932, and died on August 7, 2003. She was the daughter of Grace and Frank Ubriaco.

She attended Pine Street School and graduated from Port Arthur Collegiate Institute.

Rita was the first woman from Port Arthur to be admitted to any faculty of Medicine. (University of Toronto)

She graduated earning her Masters Degree in French Drama from the University of Toronto. She was a close friend of Dr. Penny Petrone.

She worked with Victor DiBello who in 1957 had reorganized the Pro Arte Orchestra as an ensemble of professional string players which made its debut 28 March at the Casa Loma Library. For some years thereafter the orchestra gave concert series annually in Toronto. It played 1962-4 for chamber opera productions directed by Rita Ubriaco at Hart House,a student centre at the University of Toronto.

She taught high school in Thunder Bay and Toronto before embarking on a career in journalism, writing about musical and theatre arts in The Chronicle-Journal and Thunder Bay's Source. She was later a Catholic School Board Trustee, and then a city councillor for the Red River Ward, often battling with Mayor Walter Assef. She ran once for the Liberal Party, in the 1971 provincial election.

As chair of the city's Planning Committee she oversaw many of the changes that came to Thunder Bay after amalgamation. She was also a driving force behind the building of the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium and the cities Port Arthur Marina waterfront development in the 1970's.

Rita was involved with the Federal Advisory Council on the Status of Women, between 1973-7, being the chief of the council, followed by June Menzies. Rita was also involved with the Handicapped Action Group. She became a member of the Canada Council in 1979.

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