Over the next week, BradfordToday will be highlighting the candidates in the Ward 2 by-election taking place Nov. 27 - Dec. 7.
Brian Carruthers is running for the vacant Ward 2 councillor seat in the upcoming by-election at the end of the month.
He was runner up to Gary Baynes in the 2018 municipal election and is happy to have another potential opportunity to represent members of the town.
“The town is doing decent work, no problem there. But I would like to build on that work to preserve heritage and create a truly unique town that reflects and celebrates our past and present with a vision of the future," he said.
Carruthers has lived in Bradford since 1998 with his family, raising two teenage sons who are active in the hockey community.
“Our family has met many wonderful people along the way, resulting in great relationships," he said.
As an advocate for youth sport, Carruthers feels every child should have the opportunity to play, and that cost should not be a deterrent. He encourages kids to put down their phones more often, and join a local sports team.
Carruthers is a mechanical engineer from the University of Ottawa. He has worked in the corporate and engineering industry for 30 years in Canada, with assignments in the United States, and China.
“From what I see, the town is at a critical juncture in growth and I do not want it to become just another place on Google Maps with big box stores, or see the rate of infrastructure improvements fall behind the rate of development," he said.
He would like to improve the quality of life in Bradford, specifically in Ward 2 and the downtown core.
“The people of Ward 2 are telling me that the air quality can be quite unacceptable coming from the sewage treatment plant, cars drive too fast on residential streets, and they don’t like the tractor-trailers driving down the centre of town," he said. "Additionally, residents tell me they would like to be able to walk to get their groceries as they once did, walk to the banking as they once did, and feel safe in doing so as they once did. This concerns me because the seniors once enjoyed that convenience, now they need it and now it’s gone."
Carruthers would also like to see a grand entrance at the east end of Bradford, with parking, well-shaded walking and bike paths that extend along the canal system, and a well kept historic section of Bradford that attracts both people and investors.
His platform includes pursuing further economic development to create jobs closer to home and resisting tax increases.
Carruthers would like to initiate a review of the town's continuous improvement process in order to improve and maintain services. He wants to ensure responsible growth for the town and have a review of subsidized and affordable housing to ensure the needs of the residents are met.
He would also like to see a more pedestrian-friendly community and improve the current roadways in town.
"I will be open to ideas from citizens on how to show BWG’s uniqueness and make it more beautiful," he said.
To learn more about Carruthers and his campaign, check out his website here, Facebook page here, or send him an email at [email protected].
