EloraFergusToday asked candidates in the upcoming municipal election to tell us a little bit about themselves and their platform.
Name: Mary Lloyd
Occupation: Owner/operator of Sensational You, Ralph Basset Associates
How long have you lived in Centre Wellington? Since 1986 – 36 years
Do you reside in the ward you are running in? Yes, I live right in the downtown of Fergus on the north side of the Grand River
Why are you running in this election? As the incumbent I have a vested interest in working toward the housing solutions for seniors and the first-time home ownership residents. In the last term I have worked hard on developing a county operated Continuum of Care. As well early on the lease expiry of the library in Erin was identified and now there is a working plan on the new branch that will be located in the downtown core of Erin. I would like to see that through.
What qualifies you to represent your ward? Living and working in Centre Wellington/Wellington County, I have developed a deep desire to serve my community. I had been working in the fundraising and tourism industry prior to opening my retail store Sensational You, and was always looking for ways to help where and when needed. In 2010-11, I attended a meeting hosted by the CW Recreation department about the new addition at the sportsplex. I was struck by the fact that there were a few residents there and began following the proceeding closely. After attending a budget meeting for the township for two days – I made the decision that to effectively participate in the process, I needed to put my thoughts and efforts into action.
Why should people vote for you? Throughout the last session of government, I effectively chaired the Information, Heritage and Seniors committee with new senior leadership and worked on the Land Planning and Division committee. With the completion of the Continuum of Care plan, the next step in the process is to secure funding from upper levels of government. I am ready to help develop the plan, ask for the funding and see this project begin. I also believe initiatives started by the County to reduce climate impact through composting, electric charging stations and implementation of hybrid/electric vehicles. It is also important to remember that our County is full of rich agricultural land and we must work hard to protect this valuable resource, through more high density housing in our urban centres.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of the ward? Housing is the biggest concern for many residents, followed closely by roads and bridges.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of Centre Wellington on a broader scale? The rapid growth of Centre Wellington has created transportation issues with the number of vehicles, noise and safety. All levels of government must work together to keep speeds down and move both pedestrians and vehicles efficiently through built up areas of our communities. New routes and enforcement are needed to meet the challenges of today and in the future.
What is the most important thing you want to see changed in Centre Wellington? I am a strong believer in working as a team – all levels of government need to come together on plans to reduce overlapping work. It is necessary to look at transportation corridors in a way that aid in moving cars and trucks through the area safely. Housing applications need to be moved along quickly and efficiently when for multi-residents.
What services need to be improved in Centre Wellington? Currently many bridges need to be replaced and with limits of property tax to accomplish doing all of them may require other sacrifices. I am also concerned about the fire services with a growing community – have both stations located on the south side of the river can be a problem at times with traffic etc. ... maybe a station on the north side of the river?
Is Centre Wellington growing too fast, just the right amount, or not fast enough? Growth is happening and has been on the books for many years – it just so hard for residents to accept as it always seems to come too fast…We need to attract developers that will build high density housing.
What can be done at the local level about the rising cost of housing? Creation of a policy regarding temporary/short rentals is a must. Also working with developers to have lower cost multi units in the new subdivision. To build these units there will sacrifices on many levels of government.
Do you support building a new $27 million operations centre? N/A township issue
How do we make Centre Wellington an even better place to live? Keep involved and ask questions and keep the elected officials true to their job of serving the community.
Any link to an election website or social media account?
Facebook and Instagram - marylloydcw
Website – marylloyd.ca
