A seventh person has filed their nomination papers to make a run for a city council position in the Oct. 18 municipal election.  

Jaclyn Dorchak has called the city home for the past six years and has worked in the fitness industry with time at Push Cycling Studio, Unity Yoga and Fitness and Genesis Place.  Being involved in fitness has allowed her to participate in several community endeavours including the W.H. Croxford 24 Hours of Fitness, AirdrieFEST, and the Home and Lifestyle Show. 

Being in the community in those settings and meeting and listening to other Airdrie residents has led Dorchak to seek a seat on city council.  

"I noticed that as our demographics in Airdrie change and as we grow as rapidly as we've grown over the last few years, and continue to do so, council doesn't typically represent the people who live here.  It tends to be the same profile of person in every seat, every time there's an election.  I think that means there's a lot of missing voices and missing interests and missing opportunities really at the end of the day."

She believes the city needs more diversity representing their interests at council, and she's not talking just about ethnicity or religion.  She's talking about the lived experiences being represented in the city and if those experiences are actually being looked after.  Dorchak doesn't think they are which is why she's vying for council.

Dorchak feels she'll bring a different perspective to city council, one that is not being represented now. 

While she believes her experience living in other places will prove valuable as a member of council, she's aware that one person can't do it all and everyone needs to remember that every councillor is just one part of a seven-member team.

"No one can unilaterally walk in there and set the agenda and make things happen but it does take the effort and the time and the work to get it done. What I want to do is to be that voice for people.  Make sure that they're not brushed aside or just seen for a photo-op.  I want to make sure that, if there's a collective issue that's going on in Airdrie that it is actually brought forth to council chambers."

Dorchak is intent on making sure that Airdrie is known for more than simply being a bedroom community for the City of Calgary or a stop along Highway 2.

"I think we're more than that and we can achieve more than that and we have the potential to do it and I'd like to see that happen."

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