Citizen engagement, safety top of mind
Transportation and investment in communities also important for region
She just wants to let her kids play in their neighbourhood without being stuck with someone else’s problem.
Rowan Randall, a mother of two with two more on the way, says community safety is foremost on her mind ahead of election day on Monday, as she and her husband grow concerned with rising levels of crime near their Dover home.
“I definitely feel crime’s gotten worse — mostly with theft and violence issues,” she said. “I’d really like to see more police involvement, and less leniency in drug and violent crimes.”
Randall calls her community’s parks and green spaces unsafe.
“Lots are filled with garbage and needles. It’s to the point where we drive to different areas just so we can avoid all the junk and hazards.”
Those are just a few issues residents in the east-central Calgary ward will consider Oct. 16, as voters choose among seven candidates vying for councillor.
Election-day boundary changes greatly affect Ward 9.
In the north, the communities of Tuxedo and Winston Park, including the Midfield mobile home park, will become part of Ward 7, while Ward 9’s northern frontier moves north to Memorial Drive.
The ward’s southern border now largely follows Glenmore Trail, and while Acadia moves to Ward 11, Fairview becomes part of Ward 9.
An alumnus of Forest Lawn High School, Cesar Saavedra says the southeast is being neglected.
“I’m concerned with the level of care that’s going into those communities,” he said. “I think a little bit of engagement will go a long way.”
Saavedra says he’ll work hard to connect with and directly engage with families to make sure they get all they can from local government.
Increasing dialogue with residents is an issue shared by candidate Omar M’keyo.
“Most people I meet with — they say to me they’ve lived there 15 years, 20 years and they’ve never met any politicians,” he said. “The people feel they’ve been ignored for far too long.”
Aside from engagement, he wants to help clean up the streets by ensuring the police have the resources they need to do their jobs.
Engagement has always been a large part of incumbent Gian-Carlo Carra’s two terms on city council, something he intends to continue.
“We’re very pleased with what we’ve accomplished over the past seven years,” he said. “We’ve got massive amounts of re-investment flowing into the neighbourhoods of Ward 9 — what we’re listening to right now is the grinding construction zone on 17th Avenue. S.E., it’s the International Avenue re-envisioning and it’s super exciting to see.”
For candidate Boss Madimba, there’s a severe imbalance in terms of attention from city hall — something he vows to correct.
“Some communities are being left behind,” he said, adding he plans to address issues of governmental accountability to residents.
“I think city hall isn’t being transparent to our community.”
David Metcalfe pledges to be a councillor who will have the best interests of the ward at heart — especially when it comes to transit.
“A lot of people don’t use it, because the new (LRT) cars are not comfortable,” he said. “The cost of parking is a lot less than spending the money on a transit ticket. They spend a lot of money redeveloping stations and putting up shelters that give you no shade from the sun or protect you from the cold in the winter.”
Retired firefighter Trevor Buckler says this is an excellent chance to get new ideas into city hall.
“I think this current administration is dysfunctional,” he said. “My first job is to get council to be functional, so all the wards can get what they need — public safety, roads.”
That plan involves rebalancing expenses, cutting the number of closed-door meetings and increasing the voice of the common citizen.
Frustration over transparency is what made Cheryl Link run for council, pledging a platform devoted to making sure Ward 9 knows exactly what’s going on.
“A lot citizens don’t feel their voices are being heard, and there’s some kind of agenda,” Link said.
She plans on making sure residents are consulted more to make them feel part of the civic process.