In the run up to the 2017 election, we asked our readers and listeners what issues matter most to them. Every day, we ask candidates for their thoughts on healthcare, growth, traffic, city facilities, downtown, and the other issues important to their campaign. Today, Kelly Hegg addresses your issues.

Kelly Hegg is hoping to win his fifth term on City Council at the October 16 election.

Hegg said one goal that informs his decisions on Council is trying to make sure people stay in Airdrie. Part of that means making sure that young people that go to college have enough opportunities to start businesses or find meaningful employment that they are drawn back. He also said it is important to draw a post-secondary partner into Airdrie.

"You look at Olds, they have a great facility. Calgary has a lot of great facilities. Not that we necessarily need to have a big, single standing post-secondary institution, but I think the opportunities are there to partner with other institutions to bring them here." 

According to Hegg, the reason he first got involved in municipal politics years ago was because of healthcare after a health scare in his family. Hegg is happy with the improvements that have occurred during his tenure on City Council, and he is looking forward to continued possibilities if reelected. One of those possibilities involves the Airdrie and Area Health Benefits Cooperative, which Hegg said he would support so long as Alberta Health is also in support.

Hegg addressed Airdrie's growth, saying it has both benefits and challenges. He thinks one of the neat things about Airdrie's growth is that there is a lot of new infrastructure in the City.

"You know, we've got relatively new infrastructure. The challenge down the road is going to be once further things are built, that we are able to maintain them so we don't get ourselves into an infrastructure deficit."

One of the challenges of the city's rapid growth is traffic. Hegg said he's always referred to Airdrie's "two rush hours", one as people come home from work and a second as people take their families to activities around town in the evening. Hegg has noticed that congestion is occurring more often throughout the day, and he thinks the City can address those needs on a case by case basis. Pointing to the almost complete 40th Avenue connecting Reynold Gate to Main Street, Hegg thinks there are opportunities for the City to work with developers to address traffic problems and keep drivers moving. He also thinks it is important for the City to add more rail crossings, either over or under the tracks.

When it comes to facilities, Hegg thinks the most important thing to do is look at Citizen Satisfaction Surveys to see what the needs are. He pointed out that historically, user groups have driven things when new facilities are needed. Whether it is finding more recreational space, competitive space, or cultural space, he'd like to continue that involvement.

"Again, what we need to do is we need to have that community initiative saying, 'This is what we want. Let's get together with some people and possibly some funders and start to put together a plan working with the City to get the infrastructure built to meet the needs of the citizens."

Hegg also thinks there is a lot of potential in the downtown core. While there are a lot of services downtown, he believes it lacks vibrancy. If reelected, Hegg would like to see downtown become more walkable and have more character. He's hopeful that a new library building could become a focal point of the downtown core.

 

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