Alderman Kelly Hegg will be running for re-election and seeking a fourth term on Airdrie City council in this yearís municipal election on Oct. 21.
Hegg, an 18-year resident of Airdrie was first elected to council in 2004 and he says he remains passionate about the job and still feels he has more to accomplish.
ìI want to help this city continue to move forward and to make sure that we are following the AirdrieOne (Sustainability) Plan and following those guidelines in terms of our growth,î said Hegg.
AirdrieOne Sustainability Plan is a plan designed by and for Airdrie citizens and community leaders. It outlines 10 common goals to guide the Cityís actions over the next five to 10 years to create a more sustainable community and work towards the shared community vision.
A 24-hour healthcare facility has been a popular topic in many candidatesí platforms and the same holds true for Hegg, who has a personal connection to the cityís urgent care facility.
In 2003, before Hegg became a member of council, his son Connor was diagnosed with appendicitis, and with no facility in Airdrie, Hegg had to take his son to Didsbury for treatment.
ìWeíve since been able to get an urgent care facility,î said Hegg. ìNow itís time for us to keep pushing forward to have it staffed 24 hours a day, weíre getting close and itís a big issue and thatís why youíre seeing so many candidates making it a priority.î
The 51-year-old school principal has taken a leave from his post at Coventry Hills Elementary School in Calgary to conduct workshops for the Alberta Teachers Association.
With 28 years in education, including 11 as principal, Hegg places a high priority on schooling and would like to see some post-secondary facilities put down roots in Airdrie.
ìIt would be nice for a facility like SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) or a university to come here,î said Hegg.
ìPerhaps one day theyíll have a permanent structure but start out with a satellite location in Airdrie.î
Hegg has seen Airdrie grow from 15,000 people when he moved from Calgary 18 years ago, to nearly 50,000 people today.
He hopes that through continued growth, the city will become a desired location for people to raise their families.
ìMore opportunities are being created here all the time and itís important that these changes and growth continue,î said Hegg.
ìWe have some great facilities to be proud of, weíre establishing a strong sports and arts culture here. We have the Alberta Summer Games coming here in 2014 and thatís a crowning achievement for us; who knows what opportunities that may create, we could one day be looking at having a Canada Winter Games here.
ìWe want Airdrie to be a place where people can come and stay and have everything you need.î
