Tories’ Fraser fends off Wildrose rival

Touting a new generation of Tories offering the right kind of change, Progressive Conservative Rick Fraser took the newlyformed riding of Calgary South East, fending off Bill Jarvis of the Wildrose Alliance who finished a close second.

An advance-care paramedic who has lived in the rapidly growing riding for eight years, Fraser expects the PCS will work even harder in the next four years to maintain a stronghold that seemed somewhat shaky during a hard-fought campaign.

“People finally recognized that many of us are brand new. We’re a different generation.

“But this election has shown that people won’t tolerate mistakes, So we will sit down now, with very sharp pencils, and get the job done.”

Calgary South East, newly created in the province’s 2010 boundary redistribution, encompasses new suburban communities on the city’s deep southern edge.

Fraser says young families are demanding more schools and more services as the population explodes.

“Our schools are at or pushing capacity. We have to be innovative and collaborative when we build.”

He suggests new schools with a community centre component, much like Bishop O’byrne High School, attached to the South Fish Creek recreation complex and library.

“Why should schools sit empty at night? Let’s offer classes, generate revenue, and reduce the costs of maintaining the building.”

Wildrose candidate Bill Jarvis agreed government has to tackle the need for new schools.

In a riding that houses more than 17,000 children, there are only four schools, two K-4, one K-6 and one K-9.

Alison Redford’s Tory government vows to open doors to 14 new K-12 schools in September and build up to 50 new schools over the next four years.