Former city hall reporter joins crowded race for Ward 8 seat
Record 10 open council seats up for grabs in upcoming October municipal election
The election race for the Ward 8 council seat is getting crowded, with a ninth candidate throwing his hat in the ring Wednesday morning.
Former Global TV reporter Gary Bobrovitz announced at a news conference that he'll join the eight other candidates in the race to replace Coun. Evan Woolley.
Woolley has been in the role since he was first elected in 2013 as the youngest member in his early 30s. In January, he announced he wouldn't run for re-election.
Bobrovitz joins candidates Courtney Walcott, Cornelia Wiebe, Natalie Winkler, Ted Knudtson, Philip Mitchell, Monique Auffrey, Paul Bergmann and Stefan Bleau. There is still time for other candidates to join the ballot before the October election.
Bobrovitz was the city hall reporter at Global TV for more than 40 years, and said his experience asking tough questions of city council will help him if he wins the seat. He said his time as a reporter offers him insight into how city hall operates.
“As the Ward 8 councillor, I will keep asking those tough questions at city hall,” said Bobrovitz.
“I want to be the voice that people know and trust to get the job done for the people of Ward 8 and Calgarians right across our city.”
He also played a role in founding the Lilac Festival in the heart of the Beltline and Mission neighbourhoods. As a cancer survivor, Bobrovitz said he has the determination to make the city a better place for the people of Calgary.
“I want to make lives better, your life, my life, our children's lives, so we all have a brighter future,” Bobrovitz said.
Ward 8 is one of 10 open council seats thus far, with a few months before the election. On Tuesday, Ward 1 Coun. Ward Sutherland announced he won't seek re-election so he can support Jeff Davison's mayoral campaign, making his the 10th open council position.
Three councillors — Davison, Jyoti Gondek and Jeromy Farkas — are running for mayor instead of seeking re-election in their wards, freeing up three of the 10 open seats.
This is by far the most seats up for grabs in a single election since Calgary adopted the 14-ward structure in 1977. Previously, the highest number of seats open for new candidates was six in 1983, 1989 and 2001. During the last election in 2017, there were only four open positions.