Joseph Zatzman

In 2019, the Dartmouth Sportsplex was re-named the Zatzman Sportsplex in honour of Mayor Zatzman.

Mayor Zatzman was predeceased by younger siblings Mrs. Betty Astroff and Mr. Myer Zatzman, and wife Mrs. Leah Flam Zatzman. (Mrs. Aronson passed in 2011)

Zatzman died at the age of 95 on December 10, 2007 and was survived by sister Mrs. Liilian Aronson and children, Michael Zatzman and Karla Zatzman.

Zatzman was the only Jewish mayor in Dartmouth's history. He was inducted as Member of the Order of Canada in October 1997.

In October, 1997, he was inducted into the Order of Canada. His citation touched upon his work as Mayor, specifically around the creation of the Burnside Industrial Park, which the citation noted now represents fifty-percent of all commercial space in Atlantic Canada.

The Dartmourth Sportsplex, an indoor sports and community centre, opened originally 1982 was re-named the Zatzman Sportsplex in 2019 in honour of the former Mayor.

Zatzman received an Honorary Degree from Saint Mary's in 1979, a Doctor of Laws. He was also a former Governor of the Saint Mary's Senate.

Zatzman's swearing-in took place in Dartmouth's Old City Hall in 1964. The ceremony was officiated by Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Henry Poole MacKeen.

Zatzman was elected as mayor of Dartmouth in 1963, becoming the only Jewish mayor in the community's history.

In 1956 he became the president of the Dartmouth Chamber of Commerce, and the following year was elected to the Town Council, for the first of four terms.

By the mid-1950s, the company had more than 200 apartments and had become one of the largest property management companies in Nova Scotia. The Royal Bank building in Dartmouth and the Dartmouth Professional Centre were both managed and built by Maplehurst.

In 1934, aged 22 years old, Joseph Zatzman started his career as an entrepreneur, purchasing a small grocery store on the corner of Portland St. and Victoria Rd. in Dartmouth known as Community Groceteria.

During the 1930s, Zatzman became a community leader and active member of Nova Scotia's Jewish community and was recruited by the Jewish Immigration Aid Society to volunteer to help immigrants arriving at Pier 21.

Joseph Zatzman, CM (April 12, 1912 – December 10, 2007) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia from 1964 to 1967. He was instrumental in the development of Burnside Industrial Park in the 1960s and a central thoroughfare in the Park is named Joseph Zatzman Drive in his honour.

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1912, he was the first-born son of Louis and Ida (Fellhandler) Zatzman. He graduated from Halifax Academy and attended Dalhousie University in the Bachelor of Commerce program. When the Great Depression began he left Dalhousie and moved to Dartmouth.