Ward 1 candidate forum reveals concerns about traffic

Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

All the candidates running for election in Ward 1 were on hand at the Goodwood Community Hall last Wednesday evening for the last public meeting of this year's election, and all complained about traffic in the hamlet. Incumbent ward councillor Pam Beach put it most forcefully when she said: "Our hamlets are not speedways."

Karen Wood Kenyon, who is running for ward councillor, said she wants police to run more truck safety checks while ward councillor candidate Victoria Devenport said she wants more traffic calming as well as increased police presence. Ward councillor candidate Colin Thacker said increased policing would be helpful but argued that calming efforts such as rumble strips would not be welcomed by the residents.

Several candidates said there is a need for more communication between the township, via the ward councillor, and the hamlets, with Beach saying she plans to put out a regular newsletter. Kenyon and Lori Kennedy (the fifth ward councillor candidate in Ward 1) also went along with the newsletter idea, while Thacker wondered if rural voices are "drowned out" by the urban majority.

The candidates did not do well on a question from the audience about their volunteerism. While Beach listed off all her volunteer activities in the township, the other candidates admitted they had done little volunteering.

On the budget, Thacker suggested that if council can't set a budget without raising property taxes "they shouldn't get paid."

In a subsequent panel featuring mayoral candidates, the candidates were asked what percentage of the capital budget should be used for rural projects. Mayor Dave Barton said 55 kilometres of road, mostly in rural areas, have been paved, adding "we're investing in rural areas all the time."