For Jeff Toews, much work still remains, which is why the first-term councillor is running for re-election this October.
“I want to make sure those projects stay on track,” Toews said of two of his top priorities – the aquatic and arts centres.
Also at the top of Toews’ list of things to complete during his hopeful-second term is Cochrane’s urban design plan, a plan Toews said needs to steer clear of what he called the ‘cookie-cutter mentality’ that has plagued Calgary.
What Toews would like to see instead is a design that maintains Cochrane’s small-town feel, while at the same time offering the same kind of services one would find in the city – a feat Toews feels is attainable if the town focuses on offering residents what they want – a variety of housing options that provide yard space, parking and room for families to grow.
“As a mortgage professional, I know what people are looking for,” said Toews, who is currently a Canadian Mortgage Lenders mortgage broker and a pool supervisor for the City of Calgary. “It helps me make decisions on a number of levels.”
Toews’ experience working as a pool supervisor has also provided some first-hand knowledge on Cochrane’s impending Aquatic Centre, a project that sits atop his list of priorities.
“We need a good sized pool,” affirmed Toews, saying it would appeal to young families, seniors, teens and children.
Bringing services to Cochrane that are as self-sustainable as possible is one of the goals Toews would advocate for in a second term, and with the Aquatic Centre planning to offer lease space that could garner significant income – somewhere in the area of $600,000 annually – Toews believes the facility’s operating costs could essentially pay for itself.
Rocky View County council is also making a decision in September on whether it will contribute $4.5 million toward the Aquatic Centre.
Utilizing Cochrane residents’ taxes is another key to Toews’ run for council.
“We pay a lot of taxes in this town,” Toews said, adding that he’d like to see tax rates lowered, and make living in Cochrane more affordable.
Toews is no stranger to the public, with his own personal public engagement on the town’s transit initiative; a venture the councillor said was an attempt to dig deeper into what Cochranites truly want.
Despite his admiration for the hard work town administration does to provide information to council, Toews said he is surprised by how much leg work it takes to get confirmation on what councillors are presented, transit being one.
“I would have just like to have neutral information going on the table,” Toews said, believing that a lot of important information was not presented to council.
Toews said he is proud of his stance on transit, and that if a proper business plan were presented for the service, he would keep an open mind. He does, however, feel that Cochrane residents ‘far and away’ want to see a new pool and arts centre over a transit system, at least at this time.
Toews does not shy away from hard work, and has received kudos from residents on that fact. He hopes the next mayor will add to that workload, and include council members when it comes to drafting the bi-weekly agenda.
Despite confidence in his abilities as a councillor, Toews still asked himself if he had done anything productive during his first term before deciding to run for a second.
Ultimately, he believes he has.
“I’m more knowledgeable about what people want,” he said. “I have made a positive contribution.”
For more visit jefftoews.ca.
