Katie Robinson is looking to get back in the game
With 10 years of past experience on city council and six years as a Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen director, Robinson is confident she can bring what she states is a wealth of experience that will help see money is being spent correctly.
“I think we have a lot of community assets that aren’t being used to their full potential,” she said in an interview, Monday. She also shared her concern about what she calls the “Skaha Lake park fiasco” and how to better avoid these scenarios from further happening.
As a founding member of Penticton’s annual Festivale and Spring Wine Festival, Robinson understands how to utilize the city’s resources to keep tourists and locals alike busy and entertained throughout the off-season, while generating revenue.
At age 62, Robinson enjoys keeping busy. She’s retired three times and works throughout the summer in the wine industry. In the past, she’s served as the president of the Peach Festival Society, as well as president of the Penticton and District Community Concerts until the group folded in 2016. All of this while being a mother of two, and grandmother to three. She most recently celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary.
Robinson advocates her support for the protective services such as paramedics, firefighters, RCMP — just to name a few — but she also identifies as having “a strong record protecting neighbourhood identities.”
“I’m a taxpayer too and I’m concerned about the direction Penticton is heading,” said Robinson. “I think it could be done better so I’m heading out to run for office because I think I could do better.”
Robinson was elected to council in 1990 and was twice re-elected. After a political hiatus, she ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2011. In 2013, she won a byelection to council and served 14 months in the spot vacated by Garry Litke, who took over as mayor from Dan Ashton.