She may have already served on Airdrie City council for two terms, but incumbent Coun. Candice Kolson said there is more she’d like to achieve.
Shortly before the Sept. 20 nomination deadline, Kolson announced her candidacy for re-election in Airdrie’s upcoming municipal vote on Oct. 18.
“The cogs of government move very slowly, so seven years just felt like it wasn’t enough to see all of the big projects – even from my first year on council – come to fruition,” Kolson said.
“It’s just a natural continuation to see some of the projects that I’m passionate about and that I’d like to see within the city come to completion. I’d like to continue to work toward that.”
Those projects, according to Kolson, include the construction of the 40 Avenue highway bridge and interchange, the development of an underpass below the CP Rail line at Yankee Valley Boulevard, and the completion of a new public library,
“We go to other municipalities all the time and take tours of their facilities, and a lot of those municipalities have libraries that are really quite incredible,” Kolson said. “They pull people in from other cities to come visit or spend the day. I’m really hopeful that’s what we can deliver to Airdrie.”
Kolson was first elected to council in 2013, and was re-elected for a second term in 2017. As a current member of council, she serves on the Council Budget Committee, Emergency Advisory Committee, Municipal Policing Advisory Board and the Subdivision Development and Appeal Board.
According to her campaign website, Kolson’s platform centres on goals related to infrastructure, recreational facilities, economic development, downtown revitalization, and inclusive, respectful decision-making.
She said her first term was about learning the ropes of what it means to be an elected official, while her second term has been more about building relationships.
Kolson is the sixth incumbent councillor in Airdrie to announce candidacy for re-election this year. The only current member of council not running for another term is Kelly Hegg.
While she said it is always nice to see new candidates elected, Kolson said some familiarity and consistency would serve Airdrie well in the coming years.
“I think that’s very common for incumbents to run, simply because everything takes so long to do,” she said. “You feel like you’re so invested in the community that you don’t want to let those things go – you want to see them to completion.”
Outside of her role as an elected official, Kolson owns and operates the weekly Airdrie Farmers’ Market. Her career background is in event coordination and management, planning and putting on events throughout Calgary and its surrounding communities.
“Once I was elected to council, I kind of slowed down on that, simply because I didn’t have the time to focus outside of Airdrie,” she said. “But it was actually beneficial because I was able to focus on the Airdrie Farmers’ Market, what we do for events here in the city and grow my own business. That was great I was able to stay within the boundary of Airdrie and really focus on the farmers’ market.”
In terms of why people should vote for her on Oct. 18, Kolson said she considers herself a level-headed person who can understand and respect where others are coming from, even if she might disagree from a personal standpoint.
“I like to think I can see both sides and almost be a devil’s advocate at times, but also be able to take in everything on a whole, versus one opinion over the other,” she said. “I hope I’m an approachable candidate and that people feel comfortable coming up to let me know their concerns and questions, and that I take the time to answer those questions to the best of my ability. And if I can’t answer those questions, to find someone who can.”
For more information on Kolson’s platform, visit Candicekolson.ca
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
