55-year Northcrest Ward resident seeks council seat

Aldo Andreoli says he’s fulfilling a longtime aspiration by running for city council in Northcrest Ward in the Oct. 24 municipal election.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for over 20 years,” he said.

This is the ideal time, says Andreoli, 60. He and his wife Cheryl have three sons that are now grown, plus his career as a sales consultant at Del Mastro RV is well-established after 27 years working there.

He’s always been interested in local politics and now that he’s seeing social issues plaguing Peterborough, he’d like to help.

“Right now I want my city back — it’s not looking very good,” he said.

“We have a mental-health issue, a homelessness issue, an affordable housing issue — all those are connected … I want to help those people any way I can. I want to be a voice. I’m not doing this for Aldo — I’m doing this because I love this city. I really do.”

Andreoli was born in Italy and moved to Peterborough’s north end with his parents as a young child in the mid-1960s.

He’s proud to says he’s a Canadian citizen and that he’s lived in Northcrest Ward for 55 years.

Over the years he’s been president of the local Italian club and involved in the soccer referees’ association, as well as the multicultural society.

In Northcrest Ward, he’ll run against incumbent Andrew Beamer, former ward councillor Dave Haacke, Carlotta James and Shauna Kingston. The other incumbent in the ward, Coun. Stephen Wright, is running for mayor.

Andreoli says that if elected, he’ll work with the 10 other people on city council to come up with “solutions” to those social difficulties.

He believes growing the police service could help. He notes that a recent report says Peterborough police have15 of their142 officers off on long-term disability, workplace injury or parental leave, with just four officers to backfill those positions.

He’s also concerned that some developers may be facing red tape when proposing to build; he’d like to see that alleviated so Peterborough can grow.

Not only would he work with other councillors as a team, he said, if elected he’d also make himself eminently accessible to citizens: “My door will always be open. My phone will always be on.”

And while some candidates may vow to get specific projects done, he added, that’s not Andreoli’s style.

“I make no promises whatsoever,” he said. “The only promise I will make is that I will work hard for the constituents and for the Peterborough people.”

‘‘ Right now I want my city back — it’s not looking very good.

ALDO ANDREOLI NORTHCREST WARD HOPEFUL