The City of Barrie has seen exponential growth over the past few years, and there are many issues that have made their way to the council table in that time on which local candidates have differing points of view.
Some local issues include affordable housing, local infrastructure, communication and changes to the downtown core.
BarrieToday recently asked all the candidates running in Ward 2 for their thoughts leading into the election and to introduce themselves to residents who may be new to the area.
Keenan Aylwin
Aylwin is a familiar face in Barrie, as he recently ran under the Green Party banner during the provincial election in the Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte riding.
“I live and work in Ward 2,” he says. “My family has owned and operated small businesses in the ward for more than a decade.”
Aylwin studied political science at Queen's University, working as an urban farmer to help pay for school. He has continued that work through the local group Urban Pantry, working to expand community gardens within the city.
“I have been working tirelessly to engage people who have felt left out of the political process for too long,” says Aylwin. “It's time for a co-operative and collaborative approach to politics.”
Aylwin first became interested in politics as a student, fighting to save Prince of Wales Public School and Barrie Central Collegiate from closure.
“This was also my first taste of disappointment in our political system as both schools were closed despite widespread support for keeping them open,” he says. “I'm running because we need political leadership that recognizes that people aren't happy with the status quo.”
Aylwin says the biggest challenge facing both Barrie at large and Ward 2 specifically is new development and growth.
“With this growth, there is a risk of people getting left behind, especially young people, seniors and people living on a lower income,” he says. “I would work to ensure that the growth that we see in Ward 2 is inclusive and responsible.”
“Yes, it's important that we have the planning and engineering to deal with this growth, but we also need political leadership that is bold enough to make the tough decisions and communicate them clearly to the people of Ward 2,” he says.
Aylwin also points to the affordable housing crisis as one that is costing Barrie residents.
“It's time for us to have the courage to stand up and demand bold solutions to this crisis,” he says. “It is much more fiscally responsible for us to invest in social housing now, then to pick up the tab down the road when people in crisis end up in the hospital or in the justice system.”
“Everyone in Barrie deserves a place to call home.”
Richard Forward
Forward has a masters of business administration (MBA), a masters of science in water resources (M.Sc.), a bachelor of science in engineering (B.Sc. Eng.), and is a licensed professional engineer. He worked for 28 years for the City of Barrie and recently retired as general manager. He has also volunteered as a director on numerous local non-profit boards and committees.
“We need experience on council to translate our needs into actions,” he says.
Forward sees Ward 2 as being a “city within a city” with the needs of the ward varying geographically between the downtown to the outer limits.
“It is the heart of Barrie and a unique and special place,” he says. “There is no one single most important issue facing the residents of the ward because of its unique neighbourhood diversity.”
Forward lists off issues he has heard from residents when walking from door to door including road repair, criminal and drug activity, safety of residents, affordable housing, park maintenance and a lack of response to resident and business needs.
“As a problem solver, I can translate the needs of our community and all its people into meaningful, achievable solutions,” he says. “As ward councillor, that also means a shared responsibility to work with the mayor, council and our local Ward 2 residents and businesses to plan and manage our future together.”
With the population of Barrie exploding, managing that growth is also on Forward’s mind.
“The single most important factor for the city is managing that growth properly,” he says. “I have the experience, knowledge, skills, and energy necessary to help shape today the city of our future.”
Yolanda Gallo
Gallo brings a broad range of experience to the table, as she has participated both volunteer and paid work for over 300 not-for-profit organizations over 20 years including stops at Georgian College, Shaw TV and the David Busby Street Centre. She has a diploma from Georgian College in business accounting and a post-graduate diploma in fundraising and resource development.
Since May 2013, she has run the Community Wholeness Centre at 59 Maple Ave., in the downtown core.
“I am a producer for change, a visionary and very resourceful,” she says. “I have an innate ability to connect with people from all walks of life and I am connected with many businesses, community organizations and individuals.
“Serving people is all I know and building a healthy community is what I am passionate about.”
Gallo says she decided to run for office because she believes residents want change.
“I am the change our Ward 2 residents are looking for,” she says. “I believe the people are the city.”
Gallo sees safety and security in the downtown as being the most important issue facing Ward 2 residents.
“I have a number of very proactive approaches to address the root causes to these issues, such as talking to police, first responders, businesses, city staff, community organizations, the homeless, drug addicts, street workers and most importantly, the taxpayers,” she says. “I have lived experience that gives me the empathy to feel, know and understand all sides of the story.”
Overall, Gallo thinks the issue of trust in government is on the minds of many residents.
“I believe the No. 1 reason we have a trust issue is because there is a lack of skill, understanding and expertise in many areas, as well as a lack of community engagement, communication and the empathy to hear what people are really saying,” she says.
Gallo says more education and awareness should help to restore trust in local government, and plans to start a community engagement program to educate residents on the issues that impact them the most.
“I would make learning fun so that all citizens will want to participate and engage in their perspective wards and get their voices heard,” she says.
Communication is also at the top of her mind, with Gallo pledging to be as transparent as possible with daily, weekly and monthly communication coming in the forms of newsletters, public forums and monthly Ward 2 meetings, should she be elected.
Rose Romita
Romita did not return an interview request from BarrieToday.
For contact information for any candidate, click here.
