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Platform Introduction for Ward 11

8/29/2021

In introducing my platform as candidate for Ward 11, my goal is to give you over the course of the final weeks leading up to the campaign:

1) a sense of who I am, including the way in which I hope to both lead and participate in building our city,

2) the priorities I see facing Ward 11 neighbourhoods and Calgary through both a lens of challenge and opportunity, and

3) invite you to be part of the ongoing dialogue about what you appreciate about your neighborhood, our city, and what ideas you have to support the resilient city we call home.

What I will not do is offer promises that I can’t fulfill. I want to offer more than catch phrases or empty platitudes that don't offer a how or why. If I haven’t been clear, please ask for clarification.

I also understand that I don’t have all the answers, nor am I a subject matter expert in all city departments. As a councillor, I would be part of a leadership team that works alongside talented city employees who have a much better understanding and specialization in many departments. I also respect there is ongoing work on strategies, policy, and finances that need to be respected and carried forward.

My hope is that in the lead up to election day, you will find yourself here, learning more about our city, where you can make a difference, and how I can support your efforts. My hope is that you will see I am considerate, curious, and caring. I am also deeply committed to Calgary, including the complex and nuanced nature of running a City. I won’t oversimplify the issues or the solutions.

Throughout the campaign we're working on three guiding principles - be part of community and amplify community voices, embrace innovation trying new ways to reach citizens (hello TikTok), and look to find commonalities and moments of celebration as the starting point for conversation. The platform details will be no different, all drawing from one or more of these three aspects. There will be a strong focus on neighbourhood amenities, climate resilience, inclusion and action for poverty, racism, and disabilities, and embracing innovation both in ways of thinking and in technology. Platform blog posts will include links to relevant City of Calgary pages and articles as supplementary information.

These blog posts are just part of the conversations leading up to election day. I have spoken to many topics through Conversations Among Candidates and Online meet and greets (both found on YouTube), as well as weekly 15 minute lives on Facebook and Instagram. 15 Minute Fridays on Facebook and Instagram continue to be part of the discussion along with commentary on topics through regular posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you in advance for your interest in Calgary, for being engaged, and for bringing your voice to the conversation.

Kourtney

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Learning from Vacation

8/23/2021

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As I flew home from nine days on Vancouver Island, I reflected on our experiences, highlights, and what we sought out during our time. Obviously, being an island with an abundance of water, so much of what we did centered around exploring the bays and inlets of the ocean, finding local art, and learning more about the landscape and local wildlife. I reflected that much of this was done at a very local and community scale, something I'm not certain we do a good job at in Calgary - or perhaps I've missed not touristing our own city.

I made the following remarks on twitter as we waited to get off the plane:

"Coming home from vacation with a few insights that seem to be universal truths re: tourism that Calgary could leverage:

First - Water attracts people, could we do more with our rivers & reservoir with enhanced opportunities to explore the water? (ie. rentals)
Second - Local anything is a big draw, from food to handmade goods. Can we support/encourage more markets near our major parks and walkable streets on a more regular basis (especially in the summer)? What about street entertainment as an add on? Food trucks too!
Third - Telling the story of our landscape, our local plants and the food and drinks we can create from it. Our local wildlife and the importance they play in our ecosystem. Why don’t we have more info boards around the reservoir or along our river paths?

None of this has to be done in big ways by big organizations. Rather, the collective of independent organizations working together to tell our unique story, supported by the City, as enablers of our opportunities to inspire and educate."

Specifically, here's what I loved that I think Calgary could do:

Victoria had local vendors around the harbour on Saturday, a farmer's market a few blocks off the main street, and a small food centred area at one of the harbours. Calgary could do this more frequently at Eau Claire, Stephen Avenue, East Village, and North Glenmore Park.

We need to emphasize or provide more water rentals and tours. Canoes, kayaks, floating. Moving on the water is a great way to explore our city. Why is the SS Moyer the only boat to give tours on the reservoir? And because we have less water, more bike rentals too, especially at parks not along the river, North Glenmore, South Glenmore, Carburn Park, Fish Creek, Bowness, Nose Hill, the list goes on. And let's not forget the winter with skate rentals, toboggans, snowshoes, cross country skis.

How does our local flora and fauna attract tourists? Beaver sighting tours? Birding? Fishing? Local foraging (omg, the blackberries were everywhere on the island!) Maybe none of those are real things, but surely we can talk more about our species and unique geographical position in a better way - our glacier shaped and fed rivers, the variety of species who migrate in and out, and how the mountains affect our climate.

Think about families. Murals on the ground or walls, labyrinths, sculptures and art all kept our girls interested, occupied, silly, and made for some funny photos. Well placed playgrounds gave us a place to eat a snack and burn some extra energy. Calgary has a few well situated playgrounds, and you will notice they are often at capacity. How we create space for kids, teens, and young adults also matters as we plan for both tourism and building out local neighbourhoods to promote healthy and active communities.

Part of a large mural in Victoria.

I believe a big part of Calgary's success is going to be innovating on what exists here to create new opportunities. It is likely we are going to need to review bylaws and policies which prevent some of these practices from happening. I know Calgary can support local businesses in providing both local and tourist opportunities, I'm ready to be that leadership who will ask the questions to get us towards solutions.

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Platform Introduction for Ward 11

Kourtney

Learning from Vacation

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