Potential city councillors shared their visions during the ward candidate forum held by the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.
Candidates in all seven contested wards introduced themselves and outlined their platforms before discussing crime, downtown revitalization, business supports during the pandemic and other topics.
Candidates in Ward 1 included three-term incumbent Charlene Miller and challenger Daniel Brown, in Ward 2 incumbent Terra Lennox-Zepp is being challenged by Dana Dirks, Kim Connaroe and Devin Gorder. Ward 3 sees incumbent Evert Botha against Tony Head and Lee Atkinson. In Ward 4 incumbent Don Cody is challenged by Mira Lewis and Margaret Duncombe, Ward 5 see incumbent Dennis Ogrodnick and challenger Don Wood. Ward 6 sees incumbent Blake Edwards facing former Ward 6 councillor Martin Ring and Ward 7 has Dawn Kilmer and Diana Wooden challenging for the seat vacated by mayoral candidate Dennis Nowoselsky.
Atkinson was the only candidate not to appear during the forum.
One important question across many wards was revitalizing the downtown and business on Central Avenue.
Connaroe (Ward 2) wants to work to bring businesses and make the area attractive for the new university. Gorder (Ward 2) and Connaroe want to return Central Avenue to its former glory and called the area “scary”. Gorder wants to consult with business owners and make Central an attractive area. Lennox-Zepp (Ward 2) and Cody (Ward 4) both referred to Central Avenue Streetscape work, which has already been completed by the city. Miller (Ward 1) wanted to work with legacy businesses in the downtown. Duncombe (Ward 4) thought Central Avenue can be revitalized through building around the university. She also wants to make sure there is a vision and ensuring that downtown can be a destination.
Many candidates emphasized the importance of the new USask campus as a way to bring people back downtown.
Lennox-Zepp pointed to infrastructure that has not been worked on in over 20 years including sidewalks. Dirks (Ward 2) emphasized the public image of downtown has suffered with fences around buildings. He views it as similar to Broadway in Saskatoon and would look at creating tax credits.and others voiced their support for the back alley curfew bylaw.
Multiple candidates voiced their support for the back alley curfew bylaw. Candidates also emphasized crime and addressing its root causes. Duncombe believed that city hall had a role to play in working with groups to look at root causes.
Dirks said he would like the city to become proactive with crime and work with provincial government and through partnerships that already exist in the city such as the Indian Métis Friendship Centre.
Dirks said he would like the city to become proactive with crime and work with provincial government and through partnerships that already exist in the city such as the Indian Métis Friendship Centre.
Connaroe also appreciated the back alley curfew bylaw and wants to build on it. She vowed to start a neighborhood watch in every community in Prince Albert and also use the experts that exist.
Crime is something that Botha (Ward 3) has dealt with and added that the first neighborhood watch in a long time was started in his ward. Head (Ward 3) explained that he has been hearing about crime in the ward while door knocking. He also wants to look at root causes but said the police have been doing an excellent job.
Lewis (Ward 4) believed that issues like homelessness and poverty need to be worked on to address crime in the downtown. Both Ward 7 candidates, Wooden and Kilmer, agreed that there was a need to address issues like poverty and addictions in order to lower crime. They also both voiced their support for the Prince Albert Police Service.
Ring (Ward 6) talked about intervention by support groups and tapping into new security technology. Edwards (Ward 6) wants to find resources to fix the unique issues that affect Prince Albert and have better communication with all levels of government and in the city itself.
Incumbents Cody, Edwards and Ogrodnick (Ward 5) also voiced support for the Prince Albert Police Service.
The topic of neighborhood watch groups also came up frequently with all candidates and many candidates expressed support for starting one in their ward if one didn’t exist already.
A question about meeting with ward residents at regularly scheduled town halls to discuss concerns was supported by every single candidate.
Edwards has held two separate meetings at the Carlton Park Community Centre and he continues to want to have community meetings. Ring wants to meet with people and wants to see community meetings whether they are positive or negative.
Ward 8 Coun. Ted Zurakowski did not take part in the forum as he has been reelected by acclamation.
To watch the full forum, visit the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce Facebook or YouTube pages.
RM of Prince Albert candidates took part in their own forum on Thursday, Oct. 29.
The 2020 municipal election is on Nov. 9.
