In the run up to the 2017 election, we asked our readers and listeners what issues matter most to them. Every day, we ask candidates for their thoughts on healthcare, growth, traffic, city facilities, downtown, and the other issues important to their campaign. Today, Ron Chapman addresses your issues.

Ron Chapman is running for a third term on Airdrie City Council and believes the rapid growth of Airdrie presents unique challenges that the next council will have to face.

Chapman said growth can be very exciting, but there are also some tough decisions the City will need to navigate as it continues to grow. As Airdrie grows, there will be increased needs for infrastructure, utilities, services and public safety concerns. Chapman said the City needs to plan for that growth, and part of that includes asking the tough questions about where funding comes from. Chapman explained things like adding another fire department in 2021 or hiring more police will make a significant hit on an operating budget. Chapman thinks the upcoming budgets will be tough budgets, and maintaining and increasing services will have a cost, and his biggest concern is where that money comes from.

"Moving forward, I think with an experienced Council, with a good Council, we can make sure any tax increases are kept to a minimum, but we do have to realize with this growth, we are going to need staff, we are going to need firefighters, we are going to need policemen, we're going to need everything."

When it comes to traffic in Airdrie, Chapman said two priorities are rail underpasses and highway interchanges. He has been supportive in the past, and will continue to support a rail underpass on Yankee Valley Boulevard, which he believes is urgently needed. Chapman said the City also needs to stay on top of the Province to make sure the need of an additional interchange, either at 40th Avenue or at Range Road 264, is met as soon as possible. Chapman said 8th Street heading south out of town is also an area that could be addressed.

Chapman said there's a real need for additional recreational facilities, especially on the west side of Airdrie and envisioned what that could look like.

"I would like to see it be a large, multi-use facility. I would like to see more ice surfaces in that rec centre. Obviously, a fifty meter pool if possible. Another field house. Going right out there, I would love to see a turf field in Airdrie for recreation. I think if we had a turf field with lights, we could have more football, more soccer."

Regardless of what a new facility eventually looks like, Chapman said the time to start planning for that facility is now.

Chapman recognized that healthcare is largely a provincial mandate, and thinks people need to be realistic about what healthcare will look like in Airdrie.

"Being realistic, obviously Airdrie is not going to get a hospital anytime in the near future. I think people need to realize that's just not going to happen."

With that in mind, Chapman said he's excited to continue to support the Airdrie and Area Health Benefits Cooperative, and fully supports their initiative to make Airdrie the healthiest community in Canada.

As for downtown, Chapman said his vision is a revitalized, vibrant core. Chapman expressed a desire to make downtown walkable. In his view, a significant challenge is the number of empty lots that are not owned by the City, but he said it's imperative for the City to make development in downtown attractive to landowners so they will start building.

 

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