The Candidates who ran for Mayor, Councillor and Islands Trustee in 2022 are listed below in alphabetic order.
Andrew Leonard
Candidate statement
I don’t know anyone who says municipal politics are sexy. While reality TV series like Property Brothers, Pawn Stars, and Ice Road Truckers draw ratings in the millions; on no planet would anyone binge Small Island Planners on Netflix. We see fiery clips and bombastic soundbites hit the national news from our provincial and federal counterparts, with little coverage on what governs our own local communities.
Municipal politics is about what happens in our backyard, about how the ecology of our daily lives play out. It’s about the parks we bring our families to, the activities we do with our neighbours, and the businesses we attract to spend money in. It’s about influencing the character of neighbourhoods and deciding what should (or shouldn’t) go where.
These backyard politics have deep consequences. Land use planning brings with it our relationship with colonization and reconciliation. Waste and water management carry our personal impacts on climate change. Local commerce influences our alignment with supply chains and where we vote with our dollars. While our island may be small, all oceans lead to it.
I’m standing for mayor in this election because I believe that now, more than ever, is the time to foster diverse, inclusive civic engagement. It is time to take stock of the historical lineage of community effort that has made Bowen the jewel that it is, ensuring that this ecological beacon of rural community off Vancouver’s coast keeps its identity intact.
The central issue of this election will be how to weave our diversity into common cause. The ancient island tension of development versus conservation will be in play, no doubt. So will our relationship with tourism and economic development. These will need to be informed by small-island solutions to the big city housing problems we’ve inherited from the mainland. Rebuilding community unity and resilience after the global pandemic should also be in mind, which cannot happen without innovative conversations about holistic recreation and community mental health. All of this needs a much higher degree of transparency than we’ve had.
The central question, then, is this: can we evolve our municipal governance in a way that can hold the diverse perspectives these conversations will require? How can we be better to each other? Better yet, can those conversations draw in enough engagement to drive thoughtful policy making?
I think so. I have enough youthful idealism to believe it’s possible and enough middle-aged realism to discern a path that makes it happen.
We’ll learn more about each other as this campaign unfolds. If you’d like a summary of my professional experience, check out my LinkedIn. Want to get in touch? Email me directly at me@andrewformayor.ca, or check out my campaign website at www.andrewformayor.ca – I’ll be updating it frequently as the campaign unfolds.
I look forward to connecting with the unique experience that brought you to Bowen.
Warmly,
Andrew Leonard
Maureen Nicholson
Candidate Statement
Hello, Bowen Islanders. Please vote for me for mayor and Islands Trust trustee in the upcoming election.
Our next council will likely be a mix of experienced and new councillors, serving at a time of risk and opportunity for our island home. As a voter, you’ll be selecting your preferred candidates, and you’ll also be electing a group of individuals who must function as a team. Please think about your choices through this lens.
The new mayor, I believe, needs to have substantial practical and demonstrated experience and skills to successfully guide Council, work with staff, and serve the community. I have the required experience and skills to do so, having served two terms on Council, two terms on the Metro Parks Committee, and a term as Metro Director for Bowen Island. I also have constructive relationships with our municipal staff and respect their abilities to provide information, advice, and services.
My main priorities as mayor for the 2022-2026 term would be
- To complete, without disruption, the capital projects we’ve started and to do so in a fiscally responsible and transparent way
- To develop an updated or new Official Community Plan that better reflects who we are now and where we want to go
- To find additional sources of revenue to support essential infrastructure projects
I hope to serve with a Council that shares those priorities.
For the trustee role, the Islands Trust recently requested a provincial government review of the Trust mandate, structure, and operations. I believe I can contribute to that discussion in an informed way and with genuine curiosity.
I’m a communications professor at Douglas College and have lived on island for 17 years, first as a married homeowner on an acreage in a rural part of the island, now as a single renter in a more populated area. My time over those years has been enriched by working together with many of you on community boards, advocacy groups, and projects.
This past term has been tough, and sometimes genuine successes have been lost sight of. After more than 20 years, we have a new fire hall. We are underway with the community centre. We enabled the health centre and a purpose-built rental building. We’re tackling the water and sewer infrastructure challenges in the context of climate change impacts. We’ve mitigated cost impacts on the community by securing some $16 million in external funding since 2017. We’re making headway on things that the community has identified as important, and I’m happy to have been part of that. Throughout, I’ve made an effort to communicate factually, clearly, and transparently.
I’m looking forward to a slower pace as we complete our capital projects and then push the pause button — to take some time to catch our breath and reflect together as a community.
Professional background: www.linkedin.com/in/maureennicholson
Email: maureennicholson@shaw.ca
Telephone: 604-838-4648
Website: www.maureennicholson.ca
John Turner
Candidate Statement
My name is John Turner and I’m a candidate for Mayor.
A friend once described Bowen as being a lot like university. There are lots of bright, motivated people living in proximity to each other, and knowing way too much about each other’s business. It’s really like being part of a big extended family and that’s pretty special.
I have lived on the island for thirty years, and my wife and I raised our four sons here. Professionally, I’m an engineer which I think will help me to understand the financial and technical issues we’re facing as a community. I’ve found I have the ability to break complex questions down to find simple solutions, which I think will be key in the role of Mayor.
The island becomes polarized on issues because everyone cares and recognizes that we have something special here. I ended up deciding to run because I felt out of the loop with the park announcement and, essentially, I’m trying to be proactive in diffusing the coming acrimony.
We’re facing a few challenges at the moment but as a community we’re rich in resourceful, caring people. I’m hoping to tap into this wealth of expertise and deal with the challenges in the Bowen way, that’s calmly and with a sense of humour.
More information can be found on my website, www.votebowen.ca, and please let me know your concerns.
All Best,
John Turner
Robin Burger
Candidate Statement
I am running for council because we need accountable, progressive, equitable and compassionate leadership represented on council. Our local municipal leadership needs to have the ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with diverse groups and members of our community. We could use someone on council with local knowledge willing to take on the many challenges facing our community, especially post pandemic, and to encourage and promote community involvement in local government decision-making. Our community also needs to ensure municipal leadership that works together for a healthy social, economic, financially stable and environmentally sustainable place to live for all, now and into the future.
I love Bowen Island and it has been my home as a renter for over 30 years. Both my sons grew up here. I have worked and volunteered on the island, commuted for employment and university, with an understanding of the implications of all of this while raising a family. I have had a long-standing commitment and dedication to addressing housing concerns in our community.
I would like to see progress to remove barriers to alleviate our ongoing housing crisis, with the continuous displacement of islanders and the impacts from loss of long-term rental housing stock.
I have volunteered in a leadership role in housing on Bowen while I have lived on the island and was a founding member and Chair of the Bowen Community Housing Association (BCHA). The BCHA were key contributors to our current municipal housing policies. Many community-based housing related initiatives and policy developments can be attributed to the BCHA including Bowen Island Needs Assessment (2007/2008); key stakeholder participants in the Bowen Island Secondary Suites By-Law and the Bowen Island Affordable Housing Policy #08-3; the Official Community Plan Update By-Law #282-2010 was a BCHA symposium recommendation. These policies and the new housing needs report 2020, which I recommended for many years and during the last election, currently require utilization, review, development and updates. I served on the Bowen Island Municipality’s Secondary Suites Task Force and recently served on the provincial Inclusion BC and Community Living BC Task Force for inclusionary housing.
In 2012, I received a BA (Psychology) from SFU and a MA in Community Psychology (Adler University) in 2016. My MA thesis entitled “Policy Advocacy for Affordable Housing on Bowen Island” was written as a study of Bowen Island’s affordable housing policy development to add to the research to benefit our community and other rural communities across Canada. My employment background is with the Vancouver School Board and working with vulnerable populations.
As a council member I would support planning and policy development based on process ensuring community needs and participation, work to support and promote local businesses, and to protect our island’s environment recognizing climate change. I would also work toward ongoing municipal fiscal responsibility, accountability, and respectful community consultation as these are prevailing concerns.
With my experience, expertise and community consensus building perspective I feel confident that I can make a difference serving our community on Bowen Island’s municipal council.
604-290-1472
robin_burger@shaw.ca
Sue Ellen Fast
Candidate Statement
I love Bowen and have been deeply involved in community life here, contributing to and leading various projects and committees over thirty years. In 1992 I began as a daily commuter and renter. My husband and I raised our son on Bowen and we run our consulting company from our home, near Collins Farm. Maybe you have seen us on the trails where we walk daily with binoculars, cameras and dog.
Future: I hope Bowen will look much the same, from the air at least. Lots of trees, nature and wildlife, including herons and whales; all sorts of people active in community life and on the trails and beaches. This vision is similar to the one in our current official community plan. A small, friendly, caring community, sharing a unique island lifestyle and supported by well-protected natural ecosystems. That’s what I’m working toward. Nature and Community.
Bowen Council: Serving the last eight years as municipal councillor has been a positive and challenging experience, and an honour. Besides regular council meetings and items I bring to those agendas, I have served on all sorts of committees. Closest to my heart is the Parks, Trails and Greenways committee, which I have usually been part of since the mid-90s. Currently I also serve on other committees, from emergency program to advisory design panel, library board, to the Biosphere’s Ocean Watch Action Committee, and the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council.
Islands Trust: To be part of the federation of islands in the Salish Sea “entrusted” with the mission to protect this special part of the world is wonderful. I see it as a sort of greenbelt between Metro Vancouver and southern Vancouver Island. Over the past eight years I have relished the opportunity to protect the trust area’s beauty, wildlife and unique island communities through Trust Council. Currently I serve as a vice-chair on the executive committee, and also as vice-chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy. Happy to chat about the Trust and the benefits to Bowen – please ask.
OCP: I chaired the Official Community Plan steering committee for the most recent update, ten years ago. I’m proud of the work we did in leading an open collaborative process with high community input. Affordable housing was one dominant community theme, and protecting our “green oasis” was the other. Both are reflected in our current OCP. Today climate change and reconciliation join them, I believe, and all need to be addressed in an interconnected way. Is it time for another refresh? I would welcome the creative ideas and input we can generate together to take action.
Some career highlights:
- conservation learning programs in urban greenways: Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa
- wrote and hosted Nature Walk television series, across North and Central America
- thousands of hours connecting children and families to nature outdoors – what fun
More:
sueellenfast.ca
twitter.com/sueellenonbowen
facebook.com/sue.e.fast
Email me at sefast3@icloud.com – let’s chat!
Judith Gedye
Candidate Statement
I’m seeking a position on Council and as a Trustee for the Islands Trust. I believe that what I love about Bowen, our green spaces and our community, both need attention. I went to Bowfest this year and talked with friends about this election. Overwhelmingly, you want your children and grandchildren to grow up here but worry that none of us may be able to afford it. There was talk of tipping points.
In my spare time, I read council agendas and minutes and watch committee videos! Often, I feel unrepresented and frustrated. I’ve witnessed Committees’ work and citizens’ letters or submissions given short shrift, and very little sharing of information before and after decisions. I believe we need to listen more, with respect and patience. I believe that more aspects of our Official Community Plan (OCP) should be considered and reasons given if the OCP is not followed. And I believe in the climate crisis and that the mandate of the Islands Trust to preserve and protect our island ecology should be paramount.
I’ve lived on Bowen 40+ years and commuted daily for ~30 years. My local experience, deep commitment and familiarity with Bowen interest groups will benefit Council. In 1989 I won an elected seat on the Advisory Planning Committee and have served on other committees, such as, the original Improvement Association (now the Eco-Alliance) and its ferry committee, Theatre on the Isle, the recycling depot, the Haunted House, Christmas Hamper Fund, Bowen Heritage, the Municipal Heritage Commission, The Hearth: Arts on Bowen and the Neighbourhood Emergency Response Programme.
The next Council inherits considerable challenges to address the economic impacts of delayed maintenance and upgrades, and multiple capital projects. And while much is already decided, more clarity and understanding are essential to greater understanding and fairness. Personally, I am financially risk averse and prefer to have close control over my spending.
I am well trained in listening, untangling competing interests, getting passionately held positions heard by opponents and reaching compromises or explaining tough decisions. I don’t hold myself out as a miracle worker, but I want to devote considerable energy to helping us learn to resolve, if at all possible, our differences respectfully. More and accessible information is one priority. I intend to rent Collins Hall for the full term of this Council to create opportunities for informal dialogue.
We have the luxury of living in a gracious place with a strong community spirit. I know that brilliantly creative things can happen when we talk to each other. With better communications, more support for committees, and your increased interest and engagement we can dig ourselves out of these many holes and continue to meet the challenges ahead.
Please talk to each other about the issues that matter to you and share your thoughts. It is important. This is a chance to shift the way we are heard. I encourage and welcome your support and ideas: judithgedye@gmail.com. Please contact me and I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.
Alex Jurgensen
Candidate Statement
Hello Fellow Bowen Islanders,
Thank you to all of you who have shared kind words with me since I announced I would run for Council.
Many of you may know me as the person who posts the Tips and Tricks for Interacting with Blind and DeafBlind People column in the Bowen Island Everything Else group on Facebook or because of my non-profit work with Camp Bowen (for the blind/DeafBlind), the Bowen Island Accessibility Group, and the BARC committee of the Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing (BIRCH). Or, maybe, you just know me as one of those blind folks that seem to be everywhere in the Cove these days.
I am community minded, dependable, detail oriented, a long-term planner, trustworthy, always willing to give a helping hand. My leadership style is one that promotes inclusivity, diversity, accessibility, financial responsibility, ethical behaviour, and quality of service. I lead through engagement and bringing people together. On that note, I am in support of the work Judi is doing around community engagement, thanks Judi. I commit to supporting her in both the weekly community meetings pre-election and the monthly ones after. If Judi doesn’t make Council, I will keep her vision of these meetings alive.
The housing crisis, the environment, development, the Metro Parks Campground, community resiliency, and diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. These are just some of the tough issues our community is facing. I have spent the past five years following the Muni’s efforts to tackle some of these questions at the Council level. As an elected official, I want to know what you as islanders think about these issues and that will inform a big part of how I will vote in Council Chambers. Because, after all, this is all of our island.
Now, for a little bit about me. I first came to Bowen Island in 1999 and have spent some time here each year. In 2010, I started working on Bowen and, after searching for housing for quite some time, finally was able to move onto Bowen in 2020, just in time for the pandemic to hit.
Over the 13 years I’ve worked on Bowen, I’ve always done my best to be a part of the community because being a part of my community is very important to me. If there’s anything I can do to make Bowen Island a better place, I’ll do my best to do it because communities that grow together are more resilient when times get tough.
Some of my community experience includes assisting with AppleFest, being part of our organization’s BowFest table, helping set up for Light Up Bowen, volunteering at the Handloggers Half Marathon, working with the Museum and Archives to help make them more accessible, participating in the presentations we do for students at BICS about blindness, sitting on the BARC committee of BIRCH, connecting people with disabilities on Bowen with assistance and resources as part of the COVID-19 response, serving on the Bowen Island Municipality’s Internet Connectivity Working Group, and many others. My background was originally in IT Services as a software engineer, but I changed into non-profit management in 2010. I have been doing that ever since, and have experience as a Board Treasurer, Board Secretary, Board Vice President, Board President, Community Liaison Officer, Caterer, Event Planner, Lead Camp Coordinator, Director of Operations, and, most recently, as an Executive Director.
If you would like to contact me, please contact me at: (778) 512-4721. This is my personal mobile number and texts or calls are fine, with texts preferred. I look forward to seeing many of you at Collins Hall for the community meetings.
Gale Lyttle
Candidate Statement
I grew up visiting friends and family on Bowen since I was a child, and those wonderful memories made me look on Bowen when I was house hunting. I purchased one of the two properties for sale at the time, and moved here in 1989. Shortly after moving here, I started working with the BC Ambulance Service. It was essentially a volunteer job them, but it has become my career for the last 30+ years. As I approach retirement, I am looking for other ways to the contribute to the island I love.
What do I love about Bowen? The outdoors here, the slow pace of the island, the connections to the neighbourhood and the community. The quiet walks and quiet, dark nights. I loved having a safe place to raise my son. All these things are precious.
Why am I running for Council? I want to make sure that the next Council provides the maximum benefit for the people who live here – in terms of ensuring tax increases stay at a moderate level and that Council is accountable to the public who are paying the taxes. Taxpayer money spent should have a clear benefit to as many of those taxpayers as possible.
Why am I running for Islands Trust? Islands Trust is a unique governing body that helps to ensure that we are able to preserve and protect this island we live on. We need to be smart about the expenditures at the Islands Trust and make sure any decisions made are those that benefit our island in the future.
With respect to both Council and Islands Trust, it is important to have a long term financial vision. Too often decisions are made looking no further ahead than the next election.
I have worked in many volunteer organizations during my thirty plus years here. I was on the original Emergency Services Committee as a volunteer. I have volunteered at the school, the library, the Neighbourhood Emergency Response Program (NERP), the Eagle Cliff Water Board (prior to incorporation as a municipality).
My career in the Ambulance Services has given me a lot of experience with negotiation, conflict resolution, and listening to people and consensus building. dealing taught me the importance of working with teams.
I look forward to serving on Council and giving back to the community that has given me so much. Please vote for me on October 5th or 15th
Craig Macdonald
Candidate Statement
My wife Shelley and I moved to Bowen Island ten years ago and have enjoyed our time here immensely. Although our daughters and grandkids that live on the Sunshine Coast would like us to move over, we can’t imagine leaving Bowen. Retirement has been very relaxing but there is a sense that I should take this opportunity to give back to the community.
Prior to Bowen we lived in False Creek on the south shore where we were able to take advantage of the CMHC sponsored Co-ops and Housing societies that allowed us to get established. Lack of affordable housing is a big problem not only on Bowen but throughout most cities and towns in Canada. We can’t solve it locally, but I would like to think the federal and provincial governments have an obligation to help. I’m interested in looking into solutions that might work on Bowen.
My degree in International Relations and my experience solving problems working at Air Canada for over 30 years has given me insights into how to enter into productive discussions with people aiming for win/win situations. I used these skills when elected President at the False Creek Community Centre, interacting between the public, the Vancouver Parks Board and City Hall. I have also chaired the Recreation Committee here on Bowen.
The biggest concern I have right now is the establishment of the GVRD park at Cape Roger Curtis with the possibility of numerous campsites. The Cape development brought with it increased vehicular and bicycle traffic to the Tunstall Bay neighborhoods affecting the family friendly atmosphere that existed before. Viable alternative access routes were never fully explored forcing residents to find individual solutions to the new reality. The prospect of increased traffic on the ferry and on arterial routes on the Island as a result of the park present new concerns.
This is a wonderful time to live on Bowen Island with many exciting opportunities offered with the building of the Community Centre/Municipal Hall and Health Centre. New spaces to meet neighbours and less reasons to go off Island will help improve the lifestyle we enjoy. I would appreciate your support to help make Bowen an even better place to live.
Alison Morse
Candidate Statement
I have served on Council for several terms as well as the Islands Trust which has been an honour and a privilege as well as a great experience. I am seeking re-election to Council.
The new fire hall has been built, construction is underway for the community centre and Bowen is now part of a UNESCO Biosphere. There is more to be done: affordable and diverse forms of housing, completion of the asset management plan, being prepared for the implications of climate change, active transportation, a passenger ferry as well as dealing with the new Metro Vancouver Park at CRC.
This term I have participated on several BIM Committees: Community Centre, Community Economic Development, Emergency Program Executive, Finance Advisory, Fire Hall Facilities (Chair), Snug Cove Sewer and the seven Water System Local Advisory Committees. I have also been the Mayor’s designate on the Translink Mayors Council.
In previous terms I served on the Transportation, Ferry Advisory and Economic Development Committees, the BIM Budgeting Policies and Procedures Task Force, and the Affordable Housing and Snug Cove Master Plan Working Groups. I’ve been a member of the North Shore Substance Abuse Working Group and Metro Vancouver’s Small Communities Policing and Regional Parks Committees.
As a Municipal Trustee I served on and chaired the Trust’s Financial Planning and Audit Committees and was a member of the Victoria Office Location Review Committee and the Governance Task Force.
I have a long tradition of community volunteering including the Tourism Bowen Island Board, the People, Plants and Places Committee and First Credit Union’s Bowen Advisory Committee. Prior to being elected to Council I was vice chair of the Bowen Island Parks and Recreation Commission and the Restructure Committee and a board member of the Bowen Island Golf Association.
Professionally, I am an FCPA-FCA (Chartered Professional Accountant) and before retiring was a partner in an international accountancy firm, specializing in taxation and estate planning. I was President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC, a Governor of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and Vice Chair of the provinces BC Budget Process Review Panels.
I have a well-established record of being thorough and well prepared, with a good understanding of not just the issues, but their Bowen history – which can be a crucial factor! I’m independent, open minded and bring a balanced voice to the table along with my community and business experience. I believe Council should consider all views and reach thoughtful, creative and practical made on Bowen solutions/decisions based on the best available evidence.
Alan and I moved to Bowen in 1996 with William and Jonathan. They now have their own families so we have four wonderful grandchildren and a good grasp of the needs of families.
Bowen is a unique island within the Islands Trust with a special mandate. I am committed to Bowen, and, like all of us, love the waters that surround us, the natural green space and our small, caring community.
John Saunders
Candidate Statement
My name is John Saunders and I am running for council in Bowen Island.
I moved to Bowen permanently with my wife, Nicolette Eus, just over two years ago – specifically to live in a quiet location that offered this island’s superior level of community. I believe that living in a community like this means engaging, serving and participating in the life of the community. It is with this in mind that I have decided to run for council.
My background and skillset offer a unique mix of private sector and public sector experiences that would serve Bowen well. I am pretty much a classic illustration of a Canadian. I have played professional hockey, I was a member of the RCMP, I advised large public agencies on some of the most pressing security and cybersecurity issues, and I built and owned a brew pub. There is little I haven’t experienced within municipal governments and communities in those wide travels.
I obtained a BA in Political Science from Acadia University in 1980, and my Masters from Norwich University in 2011. Between those years, I had an 11 ½ year career in the RCMP before leaving to found and operate Vancouver-based Enterprise Protection Associates, which I have owned for the past 20 years. The work involves risk assessment and resilience planning for many organizations, but very pertinently, large and small water utilities across the US and Canada.
Consideration of development and the infrastructure to support it is among the most critical concerns we have on Bowen. I know that my experience and contacts in the water sector and my knowledge of security and resilience issues can be of benefit to the community in this regard.
My policing career was primarily in small towns in Saskatchewan. In those years I acquired a real understanding of the people and the mindsets that make up a small community – which are rarely the same issues that drive those who live in larger cities. As an entrepreneur I faced the many challenges that go with starting and running a small business. Those of us on Bowen must constantly balance competing pressures of population and economic growth that can keep our local businesses viable but which also challenge our housing and other resources, as well as the shared values of a small community that make Bowen so unique. Preserving simple values while addressing the complexities of running a modern, sustainable municipality is difficult. In my career to date, I’ve developed a pretty good sense of the knobs and dials for those pressures. I would enjoy the challenge of representing the different voices and points of view on these matters that are so crucial to all of us, and to effectively contribute to this balance.
Nicolette and I moved here intending to take part. This is one way we choose to do so. We fell in love with this community and want to help it prosper. I would welcome your support in the coming elections.
jsaunders21@gmail.com
604-353-1495
Nicole Thomas Zyczynski
Candidate Statement
As a Bowen Island resident for the last eight years I find myself curious about the
opportunity and ready to embrace the challenge of serving our beloved community as a
Councillor.
Born and raised in West Vancouver, my life has been primarily devoted to Music since I
was a child. As a choir director for over 30 years, bringing people together from diverse
backgrounds and professions for a common goal of singing together in harmony, has
been a challenge and a joy. One of my strengths is in music performance, for which I
received a Bachelor degree from UBC and a post graduate degree in France, though
my preference has always been to play as part of a group, accompanying and
supporting other musicians. This is in part why I have been encouraged to put my name
forward as a candidate for a role as Councillor, and I can see these skills contributing in
working for our Municipality.
My involvement in the community of Bowen in the years I have lived here has also been
primarily through Music, either performing on piano or accordion, singing, directing two
choirs – Men On the Rock or Carmina Bowena, accompanying recitals and concerts for
my very talented colleagues or having the pleasure of teaching Music to your beautiful
children.
As a small business owner I understand the need to closely manage budgets, as a
renter I understand the challenges faced by many, and as a commuter I understand the
unique challenges of the island’s dependence on the ferry and neighbouring
communities. I feel my experience in these areas can be of use. I am known for being:
enthusiastic, energetic, vibrant, dynamic, authentic, persevering, supportive, flexible,
inclusive, responsive, community oriented, patient, a good listener and level-headed.
My agenda as a Councillor is not personal, but rather I see the role will need me to
maintain an open ear. I am someone who will listen carefully to the diversity of voices
and always consider the dear citizens of Bowen Island. I strongly believe that working
together we may better our community, in harmony, now and for future generations to
come.
Tim Wake
Candidate Statement
What do you love most about living on Bowen Island? Is it the small-town rural feel, the friendly and caring community, the laid-back island lifestyle, the arts and culture scene, the abundance of activities, or the stunning natural surroundings? Perhaps it is all those things. Perhaps it is something else.
Living here certainly has its benefits, and I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed it for the past ten years. At the same time, I am concerned about where we are headed, specifically our lack of housing diversity, the severe shortage of suitable housing for staff and young families, our deteriorating infrastructure and the cost of replacing it, the lack of viable alternatives to driving cars, our inability to have a constructive community conversation…the list goes on.
I am running for council and as trustee on the Islands Trust to be part of a team that can find innovative solutions for these, and other, urgent concerns facing our island community. Running a municipality is not like running a business. When I was elected to Whistler Council in 2005, I quickly learned that municipalities work differently and there are very few quick fixes. I was fortunate to be part of a team where we respected one another, listened more than we spoke, and worked effectively with staff to tackle a variety of issues in the leadup to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
With a degree in mechanical engineering, I spent twenty years as an owner operator of Lake O’Hara Lodge in Yoho National Park, where I was responsible for all aspects of running an off-grid business at an altitude of 7,000 ft. I remain a partner to this day. After moving to Whistler in 1994, I took an interest in affordable housing and helped create the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA), which partnered with the private sector to create more than 1,000 affordable price-restricted townhomes and apartments between 1999 and 2011.
Following my term on Whistler Council, I moved to Bowen and consulted on affordable housing for municipalities in BC, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. Working with these civic governments gave me a solid understanding not only of the impacts that the lack of affordable housing has on communities, but also the vital role of a council in facilitating effective solutions.
With this council and private sector experience, I am excited at the opportunity to contribute to sustainable housing, transportation, and infrastructure solutions on Bowen Island and within the Islands Trust.
I have seen again and again what can be achieved by a small team working collaboratively and cohesively with partners, committees, financial institutions, contractors, consultants and governments. I believe that with good leadership we can achieve better outcomes on Bowen Island.
Together, we can do this. I welcome your ideas and your support.
(604) 992-8634
thwake@gmail.com
Richard Wiefelspuett
Candidate Statement
Some 20 years since its incorporation, Bowen Island finds itself at a crossroad.
The situation is dire: Water and sewage treatment systems are over capacity. Expensive upgrades, capital investments and cost overruns drive annual 2-digit tax increases. A proposed campsite at Cape Roger Curtis raises concerns and conflicts with the Official Community Plan. Mount Gardner is targeted by recreational off-road motorcyclists. The bond with the Islands Trust is strained. Ferry commutes are increasingly stressful and frustrating.
How did we get here? What are the root causes for these out-of-control developments and unnecessary stress points?
At this juncture we have an urgent need and an opportunity to fix what is broken and to turn things around. How we address these challenges over the next 4 years is crucial in determining far-reaching consequences for our Rock.
Will we develop within our means, keep our wants realistic, focus on preservation and protection, value our natural beauty and cherish an authentic Island life that is enjoyed and accessible throughout our community?
Or will we drift further towards unaffordability, gentrification and a pace and scale of development that is out of touch with a small Island and its people?
I am running for Councillor:
- to work towards a shared vision and direction for the Island, mindful of our resources and our capacity;
- to support best practices in all our projects and processes with a focus on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and timely delivery;
- to encourage and value input and active participation of the Community, and facilitate engagement through open and inclusive debate; and
- to commit to team success and quality performance of the new Council, in a climate of trust, openness, and mutual respect.
I am a Naval Architect with more than 30 years’ international experience in diverse global settings. More recently I have been working in maritime not-for-profit and charitable organizations. I have acquired a relevant set of skills, including effective communication, critical thinking, leadership, positive attitude, teamwork and a strong work ethic. I value people as the most important asset of any organization and I feel equally comfortable in the board room, on the shop floor and in public forums. I am curious about different views and convinced that diversity makes us stronger.
I look forward to exploring your vision for Bowen and, to start the conversation, I offer mine:
- A community strengthened by diversity, inclusion, respect, equity, and justice for all people.
- Honouring the privilege of living in an increasingly rare, beautiful, natural environment comprising ocean, beaches, mountains, forests, flora and fauna.
- Accepting our responsibility to preserve and protect this place and sharing the experience in sustainable ways.
I would like to listen to your thoughts.
Contact me by email and we can start a conversation, in person, over a coffee or online: Richard.Wiefelspuett@gmx.de
Richard Wiefelspuett
Sue Ellen Fast
Candidate Statement
I love Bowen and have been deeply involved in community life here, contributing to and leading various projects and committees over thirty years. In 1992 I began as a daily commuter and renter. My husband and I raised our son on Bowen and we run our consulting company from our home, near Collins Farm. Maybe you have seen us on the trails where we walk daily with binoculars, cameras and dog.
Future: I hope Bowen will look much the same, from the air at least. Lots of trees, nature and wildlife, including herons and whales; all sorts of people active in community life and on the trails and beaches. This vision is similar to the one in our current official community plan. A small, friendly, caring community, sharing a unique island lifestyle and supported by well-protected natural ecosystems. That’s what I’m working toward. Nature and Community.
Bowen Council: Serving the last eight years as municipal councillor has been a positive and challenging experience, and an honour. Besides regular council meetings and items I bring to those agendas, I have served on all sorts of committees. Closest to my heart is the Parks, Trails and Greenways committee, which I have usually been part of since the mid-90s. Currently I also serve on other committees, from emergency program to advisory design panel, library board, to the Biosphere’s Ocean Watch Action Committee, and the BC Municipal Climate Leadership Council.
Islands Trust: To be part of the federation of islands in the Salish Sea “entrusted” with the mission to protect this special part of the world is wonderful. I see it as a sort of greenbelt between Metro Vancouver and southern Vancouver Island. Over the past eight years I have relished the opportunity to protect the trust area’s beauty, wildlife and unique island communities through Trust Council. Currently I serve as a vice-chair on the executive committee, and also as vice-chair of the Islands Trust Conservancy. Happy to chat about the Trust and the benefits to Bowen – please ask.
OCP: I chaired the Official Community Plan steering committee for the most recent update, ten years ago. I’m proud of the work we did in leading an open collaborative process with high community input. Affordable housing was one dominant community theme, and protecting our “green oasis” was the other. Both are reflected in our current OCP. Today climate change and reconciliation join them, I believe, and all need to be addressed in an interconnected way. Is it time for another refresh? I would welcome the creative ideas and input we can generate together to take action.
Some career highlights:
- conservation learning programs in urban greenways: Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa
- wrote and hosted Nature Walk television series, across North and Central America
- thousands of hours connecting children and families to nature outdoors – what fun
More:
sueellenfast.ca
twitter.com/sueellenonbowen
facebook.com/sue.e.fast
Email me at sefast3@icloud.com – let’s chat!
Judith Gedye
Candidate Statement
I’m seeking a position on Council and as a Trustee for the Islands Trust. I believe that what I love about Bowen, our green spaces and our community, both need attention. I went to Bowfest this year and talked with friends about this election. Overwhelmingly, you want your children and grandchildren to grow up here but worry that none of us may be able to afford it. There was talk of tipping points.
In my spare time, I read council agendas and minutes and watch committee videos! Often, I feel unrepresented and frustrated. I’ve witnessed Committees’ work and citizens’ letters or submissions given short shrift, and very little sharing of information before and after decisions. I believe we need to listen more, with respect and patience. I believe that more aspects of our Official Community Plan (OCP) should be considered and reasons given if the OCP is not followed. And I believe in the climate crisis and that the mandate of the Islands Trust to preserve and protect our island ecology should be paramount.
I’ve lived on Bowen 40+ years and commuted daily for ~30 years. My local experience, deep commitment and familiarity with Bowen interest groups will benefit Council. In 1989 I won an elected seat on the Advisory Planning Committee and have served on other committees, such as, the original Improvement Association (now the Eco-Alliance) and its ferry committee, Theatre on the Isle, the recycling depot, the Haunted House, Christmas Hamper Fund, Bowen Heritage, the Municipal Heritage Commission, The Hearth: Arts on Bowen and the Neighbourhood Emergency Response Programme.
The next Council inherits considerable challenges to address the economic impacts of delayed maintenance and upgrades, and multiple capital projects. And while much is already decided, more clarity and understanding are essential to greater understanding and fairness. Personally, I am financially risk averse and prefer to have close control over my spending.
I am well trained in listening, untangling competing interests, getting passionately held positions heard by opponents and reaching compromises or explaining tough decisions. I don’t hold myself out as a miracle worker, but I want to devote considerable energy to helping us learn to resolve, if at all possible, our differences respectfully. More and accessible information is one priority. I intend to rent Collins Hall for the full term of this Council to create opportunities for informal dialogue.
We have the luxury of living in a gracious place with a strong community spirit. I know that brilliantly creative things can happen when we talk to each other. With better communications, more support for committees, and your increased interest and engagement we can dig ourselves out of these many holes and continue to meet the challenges ahead.
Please talk to each other about the issues that matter to you and share your thoughts. It is important. This is a chance to shift the way we are heard. I encourage and welcome your support and ideas: judithgedye@gmail.com. Please contact me and I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.
Gale Lyttle
Candidate Statement
I grew up visiting friends and family on Bowen since I was a child, and those wonderful memories made me look on Bowen when I was house hunting. I purchased one of the two properties for sale at the time, and moved here in 1989. Shortly after moving here, I started working with the BC Ambulance Service. It was essentially a volunteer job them, but it has become my career for the last 30+ years. As I approach retirement, I am looking for other ways to the contribute to the island I love.
What do I love about Bowen? The outdoors here, the slow pace of the island, the connections to the neighbourhood and the community. The quiet walks and quiet, dark nights. I loved having a safe place to raise my son. All these things are precious.
Why am I running for Council? I want to make sure that the next Council provides the maximum benefit for the people who live here – in terms of ensuring tax increases stay at a moderate level and that Council is accountable to the public who are paying the taxes. Taxpayer money spent should have a clear benefit to as many of those taxpayers as possible.
Why am I running for Islands Trust? Islands Trust is a unique governing body that helps to ensure that we are able to preserve and protect this island we live on. We need to be smart about the expenditures at the Islands Trust and make sure any decisions made are those that benefit our island in the future.
With respect to both Council and Islands Trust, it is important to have a long term financial vision. Too often decisions are made looking no further ahead than the next election.
I have worked in many volunteer organizations during my thirty plus years here. I was on the original Emergency Services Committee as a volunteer. I have volunteered at the school, the library, the Neighbourhood Emergency Response Program (NERP), the Eagle Cliff Water Board (prior to incorporation as a municipality).
My career in the Ambulance Services has given me a lot of experience with negotiation, conflict resolution, and listening to people and consensus building. dealing taught me the importance of working with teams.
I look forward to serving on Council and giving back to the community that has given me so much. Please vote for me on October 5th or 15th
Maureen Nicholson
Candidate Statement
Hello, Bowen Islanders. Please vote for me for mayor and Islands Trust trustee in the upcoming election.
Our next council will likely be a mix of experienced and new councillors, serving at a time of risk and opportunity for our island home. As a voter, you’ll be selecting your preferred candidates, and you’ll also be electing a group of individuals who must function as a team. Please think about your choices through this lens.
The new mayor, I believe, needs to have substantial practical and demonstrated experience and skills to successfully guide Council, work with staff, and serve the community. I have the required experience and skills to do so, having served two terms on Council, two terms on the Metro Parks Committee, and a term as Metro Director for Bowen Island. I also have constructive relationships with our municipal staff and respect their abilities to provide information, advice, and services.
My main priorities as mayor for the 2022-2026 term would be
- To complete, without disruption, the capital projects we’ve started and to do so in a fiscally responsible and transparent way
- To develop an updated or new Official Community Plan that better reflects who we are now and where we want to go
- To find additional sources of revenue to support essential infrastructure projects
I hope to serve with a Council that shares those priorities.
For the trustee role, the Islands Trust recently requested a provincial government review of the Trust mandate, structure, and operations. I believe I can contribute to that discussion in an informed way and with genuine curiosity.
I’m a communications professor at Douglas College and have lived on island for 17 years, first as a married homeowner on an acreage in a rural part of the island, now as a single renter in a more populated area. My time over those years has been enriched by working together with many of you on community boards, advocacy groups, and projects.
This past term has been tough, and sometimes genuine successes have been lost sight of. After more than 20 years, we have a new fire hall. We are underway with the community centre. We enabled the health centre and a purpose-built rental building. We’re tackling the water and sewer infrastructure challenges in the context of climate change impacts. We’ve mitigated cost impacts on the community by securing some $16 million in external funding since 2017. We’re making headway on things that the community has identified as important, and I’m happy to have been part of that. Throughout, I’ve made an effort to communicate factually, clearly, and transparently.
I’m looking forward to a slower pace as we complete our capital projects and then push the pause button — to take some time to catch our breath and reflect together as a community.
Professional background: www.linkedin.com/in/maureennicholson
Email: maureennicholson@shaw.ca
Telephone: 604-838-4648
Website: www.maureennicholson.ca
Tim Wake
Candidate Statement
What do you love most about living on Bowen Island? Is it the small-town rural feel, the friendly and caring community, the laid-back island lifestyle, the arts and culture scene, the abundance of activities, or the stunning natural surroundings? Perhaps it is all those things. Perhaps it is something else.
Living here certainly has its benefits, and I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed it for the past ten years. At the same time, I am concerned about where we are headed, specifically our lack of housing diversity, the severe shortage of suitable housing for staff and young families, our deteriorating infrastructure and the cost of replacing it, the lack of viable alternatives to driving cars, our inability to have a constructive community conversation…the list goes on.
I am running for council and as trustee on the Islands Trust to be part of a team that can find innovative solutions for these, and other, urgent concerns facing our island community. Running a municipality is not like running a business. When I was elected to Whistler Council in 2005, I quickly learned that municipalities work differently and there are very few quick fixes. I was fortunate to be part of a team where we respected one another, listened more than we spoke, and worked effectively with staff to tackle a variety of issues in the leadup to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
With a degree in mechanical engineering, I spent twenty years as an owner operator of Lake O’Hara Lodge in Yoho National Park, where I was responsible for all aspects of running an off-grid business at an altitude of 7,000 ft. I remain a partner to this day. After moving to Whistler in 1994, I took an interest in affordable housing and helped create the Whistler Housing Authority (WHA), which partnered with the private sector to create more than 1,000 affordable price-restricted townhomes and apartments between 1999 and 2011.
Following my term on Whistler Council, I moved to Bowen and consulted on affordable housing for municipalities in BC, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. Working with these civic governments gave me a solid understanding not only of the impacts that the lack of affordable housing has on communities, but also the vital role of a council in facilitating effective solutions.
With this council and private sector experience, I am excited at the opportunity to contribute to sustainable housing, transportation, and infrastructure solutions on Bowen Island and within the Islands Trust.
I have seen again and again what can be achieved by a small team working collaboratively and cohesively with partners, committees, financial institutions, contractors, consultants and governments. I believe that with good leadership we can achieve better outcomes on Bowen Island.
Together, we can do this. I welcome your ideas and your support.
(604) 992-8634
thwake@gmail.com