What matters

A Community for Every Stage of Life

I want Harrison to be a community where people can build a life, raise a family, grow older and continue to feel that they belong.

That means thinking about children, families, seniors and people with mobility or accessibility challenges when we make decisions about housing, sidewalks, parks, recreation, transportation and community services.

Supporting Families

If we want Harrison to be a strong year round community, families need to be part of its future.

Families need safe places for children to play, opportunities for recreation and community activities, and access to the everyday services that make living in a small community practical.

As Harrison grows, we also need to consider how that growth affects our school, parks, sidewalks, traffic and other services used by families.

Planning for families is part of planning for the long term health of our community.

Seniors Housing

I support having more housing options that allow seniors to remain in Harrison as their needs change.

I would support working with an outside housing provider or other organization that is prepared to develop and operate seniors housing.

However, I do not believe the Village should simply give away valuable public land to make a project happen.

Public land belongs to the community, and Harrison has a limited amount of it.

I believe we can support seniors housing while also protecting public assets for future generations.

Helping Seniors Stay Connected

Housing is only one part of supporting seniors.

Access to transportation, recreation, community programs, health and personal services and opportunities to remain socially connected are also important.

The Village does not have to provide every service itself. We can work with community organizations, neighbouring communities, health providers and other levels of government to improve access to services.

A stronger year round economy can also help. If Harrison can support more businesses and services throughout the year, residents of all ages benefit.

Accessibility

Accessibility should be considered when we build or improve public spaces, not added as an afterthought.

Sidewalks, crossings, pathways, parks, public buildings and community facilities should be designed so as many people as possible can use them safely and independently.

Sometimes relatively small improvements can make a significant difference for someone using a wheelchair, walker or mobility aid, or for a parent pushing a stroller.

I also believe we should listen to the people who actually experience accessibility barriers. They are often the people best able to tell us where improvements are needed.

A Community That Works for Residents

We will not solve every challenge through local government, but Council's decisions can help create the conditions for a stronger community.

When we consider housing, development, public spaces, services or spending, I believe we should keep asking a simple question:

Are we making Harrison a better community for the people who live here?