The Town of Gibsons will have a new mayor by the end of the year, after incumbent Wayne Rowe confirmed this week that he will not seek re-election.
Rowe, who served one term on council before being elected mayor in 2011, has always said he did not intend to serve as mayor for more than two or three terms. He told Coast Reporter the decision to make this his final term “crystallized at the end of last year and beginning of this year.”
“My feeling at this point is that it is time to make way for some younger people and people with fresh ideas,” he said. “If you stay too long you run out of things you want to do and you spend more of your time justifying what you’ve done rather than looking at more creative ideas.”
Rowe said one of his objectives in the last term was to mentor the newcomers to council and he says although none have publicly confirmed they’ll be running again, he believes most of them will.
Rowe said over his two terms as mayor he’s seen a renewed vitality in Gibsons with more young professionals and young families moving in. “I’m hoping we’ll end up with some people of that sort of demographic on our next council,” he said.
“If I’m proud of anything, I feel that our community is feeling a whole lot more positive about the future,” he added. “People feel they’ve been given permission to go ahead and do the things they wanted to do, the things that would make [Gibsons] a much more livable, enjoyable town.”
Rowe also said he hopes to see construction begin soon on the George Hotel and Residences, which he calls “a challenging file.” It was also the key issue in the last election.
“It was a difficult one to shepherd through but, assuming it will proceed, it will be a considerable benefit to our town,” he said.
“In terms of disappointments – the inability to go ahead with the Trellis residential care facility in Gibsons. I think it would have been tremendously beneficial… I was certainly disappointed that we weren’t able to bring that to fruition.”
Rowe said his advice to anyone looking to enter the race is to “respect your community in terms of different viewpoints but, at the same time, if you feel that the path you see ahead is the right one, follow that path.”
In Sechelt, Mayor Bruce Milne is expected to make his intentions public in the next couple of weeks.
Speaking on Coast TV’s Talk to Your Local Government last week, Milne said he anticipated making a final decision in about three weeks.
“I’m thinking it through and getting things in place for one way or the other, but I feel very strongly that in Sechelt the community will want to know before the summer… I recognize that the community needs to know so other people can make their plans,” Milne said.
“I’ll be making my decision public probably before the end of the month.”
Darnelda Siegers is the only councillor among the incumbents in Sechelt to make her intentions public – she announced in late 2016 that she would be running for mayor.
Last week business owner Alton Toth declared his candidacy for council, and this week another newcomer joined the race.
Donna Bell, who’s promoting her campaign on the webite tomorrows-sechelt.com along with Toth, describes herself as an experienced community leader, with a 25-year career in the non-profit sector including work with the YMCA in Vancouver and a wide range of volunteer experience.
In the release announcing her candidacy, Bell pointed to the water supply as an important issue. “We need to enhance the existing water supply and distribution system now, and develop a long-term plan to provide for future needs. We’re not doing that right now.”
Bell also said she believes in the need for a clear vision, careful planning and a shared focus to move the community forward. “Lack of affordable housing, including rentals, is a big problem. People are leaving the Coast and family members wanting to be with their loved ones can’t afford to live here. I want to see our community develop creative options to meet the need for affordable and accessible housing. We need a plan that supports diversity and affordability, while protecting our unique rural coastal character and natural ecosystems.”
Bell said she’s an “active senior in our community” and wants to live the rest of her life here. “I am very concerned, though, about senior housing options. We need to develop a seniors’ housing strategy that meets the needs of older adults at all levels of aging and levels of care.”
British Columbians go to the polls in local government elections on Oct. 20. The official nomination period opens Sept. 4.
