Door-knocking season is upon us and I’ve been having great discussions with Ward 11 residents. In the course of the conversations I’ve been having a number of questions are naturally arising; I’d like to use this as a bit of a forum to address those questions – particularly where I’m hearing a number of times about the same theme. So without further ado please see below about one such topic – and check back often – or let me know if there’s anything you’re wondering about by contacting us.

Ward boundaries are changing throughout the city for the upcoming election. I realize that there was a lot of discussion about this two years ago when Council was debating the changes, but since then, people have kind of forgotten!

The boundaries are changing because we are a growing city. We have a mandate to keep the population size of each ward within certain limits and we were well past those limits in a couple of wards. This is because we are primarily growing on our edges and not in the established areas, such as the ones I represent. For Ward 11 this means that we need to get bigger to adjust for that suburban population growth.

In the shuffling of communities, Ward 11 loses a couple of smaller communities and picks up three larger communities. Here is what is changing:

Rutland Park, Haysboro and Southwood are moving into Ward 11.

Rideau Park/Roxboro and Parkhill/Stanley Park will become part of Ward 9.

This change will add approximately 15,000 people to Ward 11 for the next term, bringing the Ward 11 population to around 90,000 people (about the size of Lethbridge!).

I think this is a good shift for Ward 11. While I will be sad to lose communities that I have been working with on a variety of issues over the past three years; I think that the addition of the three new communities to Ward 11 make sense. Rutland Park is literally across the street from the new Currie Barracks development, which is currently in Ward 11. As Currie Barracks builds out, it makes sense that they work together in the same ward with the same alderman to ensure that the impacts of the new community are understood and addressed as they occur. This boundary change facilitates that.

Haysboro and Southwood are logical communities to be placed together with their neighbouring communities of Kingsland, Braeside and Cedarbrae (all Ward 11 communities). These communities all share similarities in age and challenges; from redevelopment to transportation. Currently, these five communities are spread through three different wards. Bringing them together, working with the same alderman and ward office also makes sense.

With these changes, Ward 11 looks and feels complete. I am very much looking forward to working with my new communities, to hearing their challenges and concerns, and helping execute their ideas to make their communities better.

Thanks to everyone who came out to to our Campaign Office Grand Opening. Great people, great conversations and fantastic support. Come by and say hi at the office. We are open from Noon-8 pm Monday to Saturday and Noon-4 pm on Sundays. We are located at the Kingsland Farmers Market, 7717 MacLeod Trail South.

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