Bradford Today asked all members of town council to pick, in no particular order, this council’s most significant accomplishments during the 2018-22 term of office. Separate stories have been written for the mayor’s, deputy mayor’s and councillors’ responses, which we’ll be sharing in the coming days and weeks.
Calling this term of council “unique” might be an understatement, but it’s appropriately one of the first things that pop to mind for Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer.
Keffer, the town’s two-term mayor, had to face the upheaval head-on, a little over a year into this mandate with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his biggest highlights is how council supported residents, particularly in the early stages of the pandemic.
“I am proud that this Council implemented a BWG COVID-19 Business Support Program, reduced 2021 property taxes, and allowed payment deferrals,” he said.
Before the pandemic, the town adopted a strategic plan for the term, as well as its first multi-year operating and capital budget. Two new seniors housing projects opened in 2019, a long-await necessity for the community.
The following two years brought several programs that were firsts for the town, designed to help improve the quality of life for residents, including the anti-racism resolution, the Diversity and Inclusiveness Action Plan and the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan.
This past year also has seen approval of the Holland Street reconstruction plan, launch of broadband internet in the Holland Marsh and construction beginning on the affordable housing project at 125 Simcoe Rd.
“We have built a town with a strong urban boundary, protected our environment and respected our agriculture community,” Keffer said. “And we have listened and worked collaboratively to achieve these important goals.”
With a new Official Plan approved, economic development strategy developed and additional projects and plans coming online, this term of council is ending with most areas of the community undergoing some sort of revitalization.
“We have looked after the mature areas of town with revitalizing streets, sidewalks and parks,” Keffer said. “Yet, we have also been community builders, with new neighbourhoods being built, with trails, parks and infrastructure that are second to none: Henderson Park, a new fire hall and municipal works yards have been built, with a community hub at 177 Church St. under construction.”
Perhaps his legacy accomplishment will be the construction of the Bradford Bypass, set to begin in earnest with the re-election of the Ford government to another majority term at Queen’s Park. During Keffer’s first term, Bradford West Gwillimbury was at the forefront of a coalition of Simcoe County and York Region municipalities supporting construction.
“The Bradford Bypass is starting construction, and it will make a huge difference in the quality of life of our residents,” he said.
For the first time since 1991, a Bradford West Gwillimbury mayor is leaving on his own terms. Keffer has decided to retire following 12 years of service on council, including eight as mayor and four as deputy mayor.
His immediate predecessors - Doug White, Frank Jonkman and Pat Storey – were all defeated at the ballot box. Only Bill de Peuter, the amalgamated town’s first mayor, chose not to seek re-election.
