From the damp, cold conditions outside Burlington City Hall Monday, Mike Wallace announced before, friends, family and supporters his intention to run for mayor of Burlington.
One of his top priorities, he says, is improving vibrancy.
He says this means attracting and retaining a younger generation through career and housing options, education and a renewed downtown core.
Part of the equation, he says, is addressing why there is overcrowding in some Burlington schools, while others are being shut down.
With a number of large-scale development proposals before council, he says it’s also a matter of integrating intensification properly.
“I don’t want downtown just to be a place for people who live downtown. I want it to be available to every resident in the city,” he said.
“So that needs to be reviewed in part of the official plan and the vision that we have for the community.”
Wallace says he can bring leadership to the role and a thorough understanding of the processes that bring about critical partnerships, regionally, pointing to the need to relieve congestion.
“It’s harder and harder to get around town,” he told the gathering outside city hall.
“Cutting New Street lanes in half for bike lanes that go from nowhere to nowhere was just bad decision-making on behalf of this council.”
Wallace says in the next few months he will be meeting with residents and stakeholders to further develop his platform.
Mayor Rick Goldring has also signalled his intention to run for a third term.
Candidate registration opens May 1.
The Burlington municipal election will be held Oct. 22.
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