1.Sustainability seems to be a common word these days, but its use is often ambiguous. How do you define the word “sustainability”, and how does it relate to the job of a City Councillor or Mayor?
Sustainability to me is “something that lasts” or “can exist in the realm of the real world” As for it relating to city council. Too many motions passed by this majority council favour special Interest groups or projects,which may be sustainable in the eyes of the benefactors, but are not sustainable for the taxpayer.
2.Still on the subject of sustainability, what do you see as the major successes in New Westminster during the last council term, and what were the missed opportunities?
Major successes are judged in many ways, opinions, value, costs, and future Liabilities.
Moody Park Pool – Successes, Built at $4 Million – Missed opportunity ,no provision for a cover so is restricted to 2 months use per year. If open longer the fees would cover operational cost, as do fees at Canada Games Pool. Could have been sustainable.
Youth Centre – Successes, Is sustainable as is combined with seniors and shares operational costs, collects fees. Missed Opportunity, None.
Pier Park- Successes, May create a spot to sit and watch the water flow by. Missed opportunity , A Mr. Tube Steak Cart will never sustain the cost of this, so far, white elephant. Particularly if faced with the anti business Fair Living wage. Pier Park Should be centered around attracting marine traffic and commercial ventures to offset the excessive labour costs we are about to face to maintain the park. Not to forget the excessive Building cost of the park and access.
This is an active working river where private and commercial boats pass by with no option to dock and shop at the Quay.
I envision a commercial dock (fish mongers like Gran Isl., Pikes, and North Vans Pier park) 2-3 small paddle wheeler 10 – 15 passenger ferry boats crossing the river to Port Royal, Queensborough landing, Starlight Casino, and returning to the Quay. This opportunity, and others are missed because we do not have an existing council with vision and entrepreneurial spirit.
3.What do you see as the major opportunities and challenges for the upcoming Council term in regards to sustainability?
Reducing costs (taxes) by demanding accountability, reviewing department budgets, numbers of staff and productivity. A real Economic Plan that walks the talk. A new council with business in mind will accomplish this. We need a council supportive of free enterprise, not just jobs mandated by a special interest group with pay well above the private sector. That is not sustainable.
4.The City will be developing a Master Transportation Plan within the next term, what would you like to see included in that plan?
I would like to see a plan which plans to do away with $100,000 plans, which simply gets put on the shelf. We need a bypass! We need to work with adjoining communities for a common solution. Develop Stormont. The UBE is unnecessary now they have the King Edward overpass nearing completion. However Brunette, E. Columbia, Front Street and Stewardson Way will need to be a huge part of the Study. Once the South Perimeter Road is complete, I estimate you will see a considerable reduction in traffic heading through New West to Highway #1. We have a whole crew of transportation bureaucrat’s claiming their high salaries are justified. Now is the time to prove it.
5.Translink continues to mull a replacement for the Pattullo Bridge. Would you rather see the bridge repaired, replaced with a 4-lane structure, or replaced with a larger structure? Would you support tolling the bridge to pay for its replacement? If you don’t support replacement, would you support tolling the existing bridge?
About all you can do with Pattullo bridge to maintain it is, Paint and Patch. Increasing lanes? Not likely by design. It is an old bridge and deserves a place in New West’s history. I am in favour of a new Bridge off United in Coquitlam where it can connect via King Edward to Lougheed and the Stormont connector. Why not build a new bridge and retain the Pattullo for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and “0” emission electric vehicles.
As for tolls. With the gas and associated government taxes and fees now levied against motorists I am against tolls. The gas tax was brought in decades ago specifically to cover expense of roads and bridges and they continue to rise . Use that tax for it’s intended use. TransLink being constantly in our pockets to cover costs is double dipping as are the board of directors with their TransLink and Mayor’s Salaries.
6.Do you support a Tree Bylaw to regulate the removal of nuisance trees on private property?
I believe if a tree is a nuisance, remove it but replace it on the property with one that is not a nuisance.
As for Trees on city property, the City needs a bylaw, or to just act on existing ones, to remove dangerous trees.
Prime example is Holmes and East Columbia. I have sent letters both times lives have been lost, which may have been avoided if sight lines were improved. Result “0” on first complaint, double “0” on second. The age old, and tiring, excuse by staff that “they will look at it” or “ we have no money” is not satisfactory. This will change with staff accountability.
7.Now that Metro Vancouver’s Solid Waste Management Plan is approved, would you support the location of a Waste-to-Energy plant in New Westminster?
It’s waste created by each of us and I support regulations to stop excess creation of waste by manufacturers and retailers. The Delta Land fill is no longer filling land and is now changing the skyline of Delta.
I have nothing against Incinerators as a means of getting rid of Non Recyclables and support any clean air energy creation. However, even as efficient as incinerators may be, it is the perception that they are “Bad”. They take me back to the days when backyard burning barrels were a fixture and all we had was a wire mesh to prevent fly ash! 
I see no problem with Burnaby’s Incinerator, however it is in an area well away from residential areas.
As for an incinerator in the Royal City (controversial Canfor Lands) It is not the place. I can see a clean environment sorting plant employing people but the residue garbage would have to be trucked to a remote suitable location to be incinerated or buried and/or reclaimed. Waste Tech ,located in Coquitlam, has provided a smelly transfer station in a Industrial area for years, however, Coquitlam’s decision to allow developers to build a huge residential complex in an industrial area is flawed and has created a lot of dissention over transportation and claiming New West should be the dumping ground for Garbage and traffic.
A new Mayor and council should think outside the box to find ways to purchase what little land we have left. The total cost of up to $100,000,000 to build a park (including the access plan) is a joke when considering the money could have been invested in sustainable tax revenue creating industries. New West needs an industrial tax base and land creates that opportunity. I would not support a plan to build a “Canfor Park” and create another $ink Hole…. In case anyone suggests it before Nov 19th..
Our new transportation plan will have to include the Braid area and reduce any negative consequences for the Sapperton residential area. However, not to interfere with the development of an Industrial Tax Base below Brunette.
