Veteran city councillor joins North Van mayoral race

A veteran City of North Vancouver councillor has joined the race to replace the municipality’s mayor in the Oct. 20 election.

Rod Clark said in July that he was considering a run to defend the proposed $237-million replacement for the Harry Jerome recreation centre.

This week, Clark officially launched his candidacy with a campaign platform aimed at controlling growth, fighting for improved transit services and continuing with the Harry Jerome project.

The city’s four-term mayor, Darrell Mussatto, isn’t seeking re-election.

Clark is joining previously announced candidates Coun. Linda Buchanan, retired business owner Kerry Morris, and former city councillor Guy Heywood.

While Mussatto has said he considers his legacy to be helping make the City of North Vancouver a more compact, sustainable community, Clark said he’ll campaign on slowing that pace down.

“We have a three per cent growth rate right at the moment. It’s too much,” Clark said. “We have traffic problems as a result.”

Clark said he’ll put more pressure on TransLink to give the North Shore back its own transit bus garage, instead of sending TransLink vehicles across the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge in rush hour to serve North Vancouver routes.

Clark argues that the North Shore hasn’t had effective representation at TransLink’s mayor’s council. He said the North Shore needs to be part of SkyTrain’s longterm plans.

“I realize it’s expensive and it’s a longer-term plan, but if we don’t get in the queue, it’s never going to happen,” Clark said.