Campaign Motto & Initiatives

Initiatives Explained In-Depth

Additional Initiatives:

Free transit access to river valley from buses crossing expanse
Return to grid-like development reduces stress on transport infrastructure, increases community engagement and health
Increasing the minimum income for low-income families to access city facilities/services (touched-on in seniors spotlight)
Working with social and church institutions to have localized food banks for own areas and reduce need for low-income housing
Specially designed parks/playground for pets (not just off-leash areas)
Light pollution bylaw
Replacing spot speed enforcement with point A-to-B enforcement
Height restrictions on street lights as new ones in Ward 12 are taller than condos
Airspace height regulations review (Ward 12 is on a flight path)
Varying speed limits (up to 90kph) on Whitemud Drive similar to Yellowhead. 15 block distances on east leg are the same distance as Deerfoot where it is 100kph.
Bylaw enforcement outside speeding (smoking, parking)
Cell phone service underground and tunnels along LRT
Reduced and affordable prices to facilities like Fort Edmonton Park
Weekly free admission day/eve at all attractions and facilities (facilities can choose what is free)
All year transit service to Valley Zoo
Proper access to Walterdale/Rossdale
Planning around long-term construction to reduce business impact (zip line across Groat during bridge closure, etc)
Using traffic circles instead of traffic lights in new developments
Proper funding and efficiency of police as new communities expand
Review of fire triage as fire department responds to many unnecessary emergencies
Introduction of non-traditional/on-demand-economy (app-based) business licenses
Incentives for businesses to open in established shopping centres and buildings
Correct the ETS destination signs for Mill Woods station
City services and facilities in communities south of Henday (Ellerslie, Southeast Edmonton, Decoteau)

Resident Issues Brought Up on Campaign Trail

Fluoridation in drinking water
Snow removal (too often and not often enough)
Drainage in new communities (The Orchards)
More schools (The Orchards)
Theft and more police presence in Ellerslie
More peace officers for day-to-day enforcement
Too much bureaucracy
Architecture of Mill Woods Library (Ward 11)
Too many tax increases, not noticeable service improvements
Potholes
Not enough street parking by senior residences (Ward 11)
Rumoured demolition of Mill Woods Town Centre (Ward 11)
Poor traffic and transit access to The Meadows Rec Centre
Garbage left out on the street all week
Parking and over occupancy of houses
Residents in Wild Rose receiving building occupancy permits, then inspected years later not meeting building code
Vehicle noise on Henday at night

Motto: Keep. Moving. Forward.

Each word of the motto indicates three major parts of my platform.

Keep

‘Keep’ notes that I want to ensure the quality of life for the people of ward 12, both in the urban and rural communities are preserved. Outlying parts of ward 12 should not have to worry about needing to change or forced to sell their lifestyle because a community is moving in. An example is the sheep owner who was forced to sell his sheep because a community was built beside his house.

Another part of this is ensuring safety and security of our communities. This includes ensuring our existing roads are safe, and newer roads are designed in a manner to prevent speeding.

Neighbourhood safety of course is just as important. Ensuring police presence in a neighbourhood at least 3 times a week (daily in high density zones) means citizens can sleep easier at night.

Keep also means an income tax freeze but not a reduction in services provided by the city. More on ‘Keep’ and the preservation of Ward 12 will be available soon.

Moving

A major part of the Vote Ho campaign to make sure we’re moving. No matter who you are in Ward 12, and the city, transport is a key part of everyone’s daily lives. Some people drive, some take transit, bike, uber, and some take alternative modes of transportation. The ultimate transportation model means that each mode of transport is able to move with ease and efficiency, without needing to compromise another mode of transport.

Transit is a major part of transportation. There is already a short-term recommendations for ETS posted which are changes requiring very little capital to make transit for the better in the short term. A larger long-term transit plan includes an expanded lower capacity street car revitalization plan, future proofing transit development so it doesn’t hinder the growth of Ward 12, and ensuring those with reduced mobility have improved services without having to book days in advance and wait hours for a DATS ride. The plan would also include a cheaper alternative to going underground, while not impeding traffic by implementing cut and cover construction on future LRT projects. Unfortunately, it may be too late to apply this to the Valley Line.

A transport plan includes planning ahead for developments. For example, the Meadows Rec Centre was being constructed at the same time road construction projects were done in the area, especially along 23 Avenue. The Laurels community is slated to bring in several multi-dwelling units this year, yet neither the housing project, rec centre, nor commercial development in the area changed the single lane access into the Meadows communities. Future proofing development means traffic and transit flow to developing communities to the East and South in Ward 12.

More on ‘Moving’ and the transportation of Ward 12 is available throughout the webpage.

Forward

While it is important to preserve, it is also important to build for the future. Looking at the newest communities in the city, from a short distance, they were built quickly with little thought for aesthetics nor comfort for the community and its function. Future planning would include the necessity for developers to, at the very least, build homes using more attractive colours than neutral tan, allow gaps every few houses to access multi-use trails, and have infrastructure reflect the projected development.

Future proofing not only includes transportation, but also incentives for brick and mortar businesses. There’s no question shopping centres are losing visitors and box retail centres are building in locations which are expansive and cheaper to build on, initially. The plan would be to reduce property taxes to existing shopping centres and developments to bring in a return of businesses which are accessible by walking and transit, which would in turn reduce the need to continue to expand into undeveloped land and use those as urban farmland for sustainability and a healthier local lifestyle. Building less outwards means a savings for the city in essential infrastructure and services like roads, garbage removal, transit, etc.

Future-proofing also means a community effort in building for the future. More on ‘Forward’ and the future-proofing development of Ward 12 and the city will be available as the campaign progresses.