Environmental Concerns
Environmental Concerns and Priorities for the City of Waterloo
While on City Council, the past eight years, I have:
represented Council on Waterloo Advisory Committee for Active Transportation. This committee, among other things, supports the City’s efforts in attaining a Silver rating for the Provincial Share the Road program.
supported the Pedestrian Charter.
helped clean up various encroachments throughout my Ward.
voted against the West side sports fields for environmental reasons.
supported the LRT and the Pesticide ban.
supported saving St Louis School, stopping all those materials from going to the landfill. Instead we will have a lovely apartment building that fits naturally into the landscape.
worked with the volunteers who wanted back yard chicken coops to become legal within the city. This change should happen in the near future.
helped organize the RE-Think Waterloo conference in 2008.
supported the Car free Sunday events which have become Open Streets.
rode my bike or Vespa or took public transit whenever I could.
advocated for 40 zones in front of ALL our schools.
worked with the developer of the NCR lands to put in indoor bike parking and more trees on the surrounding boulevards.
Besides my work on city council, I have served as a Provincial Judge (for 10 years) for the Ontario Communities in Bloom organization. I have gone across the province to many communities to learn what they are doing in the “Environmental Awareness” category. This summer for example I judged the municipality of Greater Napanee. In some areas they are way ahead of Waterloo and in other areas I was able to make several suggestions based on what we do here or what I have seen in other communities.
