Barrie Municipal Election 2006
My name is James Wallace and I have been an active volunteer in the community for as long as I have lived here. I sit on the Barrie Curling Club board of directors and I am also on the executive teams for the Barrie Toastmasters Club and the Barrie Green Party.
I am a structural engineer with a Masters degree from the University of Waterloo. I have worked with many local contractors and building officials on small and medium sized construction projects in Simcoe County. As part of my job, I need to be familiar with the latest building codes and standards. I currently work for the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction where I help to promote the steel industry in Canada and I provide assistance to other engineers regarding recent changes to the design codes.
I am a home owner in Ward 1.
Municipal elections are open to all residents of Barrie. If you are not on the voters list then you will need to bring proof of residence (a piece of mail showing your name, address, and a post mark will due).
You can vote any time between 10 AM and 8 PM on November 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13. Polls have been set up in this ward at Maple Grove Public School, the Parkview Centre for Seniors, and at City Hall.
Better Police and By-Law Enforcement:
Some of the people in this ward are too rowdy at times and they disturb their neighbours. Unfortunately, it can take several hours for the police to respond to noise and vandalism complaints in this Ward. This slow response time not acceptable!
More Street Lights and Walking/Biking Trails:
Many students who live off campus feel forced to drive a car every day due to poorly lit streets and a lack of bicycle and walking trails between their homes and the college. Planning around the college needs to include the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.
Clear Snow from Roadways Used by School Buses:
In the winter, many of Barrie's secondary roads are left snow-packed to reduce the costs of snow removal. However, school buses travel on these roads too. Sliding school buses and oncoming traffic on slippery roads around small children is a dangerous combination. School bus routes must be properly ploughed!
Improve the City Bus Service:
Bus schedules should be posted at bus stops. Buses need to travel their routes more frequently. People don't use city transit because the current bus service is not convenient. Bus service must be expanded to meets our current needs.
Keep Traffic on Major Streets:
There are plans for a new hostel in the Ward. While residents support the addition of the hostel, vehicle access should be from the main highway only!
Keep School Land Zoned for Schools:
Residents moved to this ward because of the promise for future schools. But the schools haven't been built and there is a fear that the land set aside for these schools will be re-zoned for residential use. I do my best to prevent these properties from being re-zoned to allow housing.
Get Parked Cars Off the Streets:
Our streets are packed with cars. Student houses are the worst offenders with two or three cars parked on the street every night! I will work to reduce the need to own a car for residents which will in turn reduce the number of cars that need to park on our streets.
Residents on Cook St and Cheltenham complain that their streets are too narrow to permit parking on both sides of the road. It is difficult for cars going in opposite directions to pass each other with some many parked cars in the way. I will bring this complaint to council and ask that parking be limited to one side of the street for any street with this same problem.
Protect Seniors from Tax Increases:
While nobody likes property tax increases, these increases are especially difficult for many seniors who are on fixed incomes and don't have the extra funds to pay for the increase. The needs of seniors in our city need to be considered whenever taxes are increased.