DescripRenfrew has a rich history and my personal story is intertwined with it. My great grandmother worked at Stanley Jones school, my grandmother lived with my mother on 28th avenue in the 1950s. I am the fourth generation to purchase groceries at the coop! 

We have rich cultural ties in Renfrew as well, with many Italian families settling in this area throughout the 20th century. I believe we should work to bring these stories forward and celebrate our community history as we define our next chapter. 

As for values, I think they’re quite simple. I was taught to believe that hard work and a good reputation will get one to where they’d like to go in life. The world has changed a lot in my lifetime but these values have carried me through. tion text goes here

Fundamentally, I would like to do the required work to prepare our communities for the growing population we are expecting. 

I want to make sure that our roads are safe for pedestrians, children, cyclists and motor vehicles.  I would like to make sure that our recreation centre can meet the needs of a growing population and that the services it provides are reflective of today’s needs. Perhaps the addition of a library and meeting place for the community would be worth discussing with residents.. 

I would like to ensure that our green spaces are well maintained and protected. That we have maturing trees because we spent the time to plant them. 

I would like to see a well staffed and thriving community association, which has been empowered to produce revenue in a way that allows it to self fund community investments that feel good for residents. 

Finally, I would like to make sure that we make sure that we have accessible and affordable housing available for new neighbours but also seniors amongst us, who may eventually like to downsize but want to stay in their neighbourhoods.

I have raised $50,000 grass roots dollars. I have taken ZERO developer dollars to fund this campaign. I put $7,500 of my own money in to make this possible. I have been supported by many friends and family as well. I hold their trust in me with high regard. The rest of the money has come directly from residents in Ward 9. Many of whom I had never met before. I’ve received $5 dollar donations and $500 donations. I am very grateful. I do not owe anyone any favors.

This is an important question that should be addressed as soon as possible. Our communication style has changed immensely in the last 20 years. Attending community association meetings on weeknight evenings to discuss important issues cannot be the only way in which we gather information. In order to truly hear the diversity in the voice of our community we must meet people where they are. I think this means doorknocking, like I have this year. Inviting letters, emails and recorded statements to be submitted on top of the in person discussions. 

One of my goals as councillor will be to increase community engagement. We can work to make communication on issues more accessible - we will simultaneously need people to come to the table to participate.

I think that this is where being strongly rooted in the communities of Ward 9 matters most. I would like to work to be very clear on the wants and needs of my communities so that when we approach city wide decision making I have a meaningful understanding of the impacts they will have on Ward 9. This is partly why I started on this journey a year ago.

 I wanted to observe and learn more about where these communities are in their evolution. I looked for any through line between these communities and I can confirm we do have much in common. These are established neighbourhoods, with rich histories and multi-generational stories to tell. While the pressures of a growing population are hitting these communities differently, the needs for renewed infrastructure and future planning are shared. 

As a child of farmers, and someone who grew up on a farm I’m a bit amazed by where this conversation has gone over the course of my life. Ask a farmer if treating their soil and water with respect is an important part of ensuring prosperity and longevity. 

The way in which we treat our resources, our land, our environment matters. It directly impacts our quality of life today, and the quality of life we hope for the generations to come. Whether you believe in climate change or not, we should all carry the responsibility of ensuring better air, soil and water. 

Water conservation is important to me in my personal life, we water with stored rain water. We are avid composters. We utilize all forms of transportation depending on need. I love to walk or bike to work when I can.

The city of Calgary has an excellent pathway system and I would like to work to expand it. I think what is important in that work is to make sure that we look at how people move to and through our neighbourhoods and invest to make that safer and more efficient. I wouldn’t support the construction of a disjointed road to nowhere, and I wouldn’t support a bike lane with those features either. Diversity in our transportation model has to be acknowledged as a priority as we have nearly 2 million people in this city and growing. 

Item descriptionMy main priorities, as highlighted in my strategic plan for Ward 9 are:

To fully fund the Community Resource Officer offices (CRO) across Ward 9. I emphasize this because I believe they serve an under-represented service to our community. In excellent working order, this is a bridge service between the community and the Calgary Police Service. They work alongside community associations and business associations on chronic issues like speeding, ongoing criminal activity, drug houses and slumlords. 

They also work directly with our front line service providers who are specially trained to support those living in encampments, struggling with substance abuse or mental health crises on our streets. Ensuring that these individuals are efficiently connected to the supports they need. 

As we reflect on police service and its role in our communities in 2025, I think this is an important foundation to build from. 

I have also suggested that we introduce our police cadets to our communities sooner, as part of their training. This will allow them the chance to really connect with residents, community organizations and small businesses. To get a better sense of what is normal in our communities and what is not. This ideally will break down unconscious bias and increase officers ability to effectively deal with acute problems as they arise.

I do not have up to date insight into this particular development. But I do believe that whatever comes next should provide opportunities for connection, like the church did. And that the design and integration should contextually blend in with the street and surrounding area.