Editor’s Note: Orillia’s city council last met in mid-December and won’t convene at City Hall again until Jan. 22. That break provided a perfect time for OrilliaMatters.com to canvas each of the city’s elected politicians about their re-election plans, about their accomplishments over the first three years of their term, to discover their disappointments and to determine their priorities for the final year of their mandate. We start today with an interview with Mayor Steve Clarke. Tomorrow, we’ll turn the spotlight to Ward 1 councillors.
Like several of his council colleagues, Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke is not sure if he will run for re-election later this year.
“The short answer is I have not decided yet,” Clarke told orilliamatters.com from Australia, where he’s vacationing. “I need to have a chat with my lovely wife and the rest of my family to see what another four-year commitment would mean because it certainly is a significant commitment.”
The first-term mayor said he expects to decide within two months. He conceded there are “two compelling reasons” to consider a second term. He said being mayor has involved a steep learning curve and “one reason to run is to not waste that and to do something with that education.” In addition, he said he is interested in finishing what this council has started. “There are many projects on the go … I’d like to see them come to completion.”
While uncertain about his future, he is certain this council has much to be proud of at the three-year mark of their term. He harkens back to a meeting he arranged with his new council prior to them being inaugurated. At that meeting, he asked councillors to decide on two priorities. It didn’t take long to conclude that building a new recreation centre and economic development should be their focus.
“We’re building the recreation centre – it’s going to open this year,” said Clarke. “And there are a number of things regarding economic development that have happened. While there’s much more to do, I think we’ve largely accomplished what we set out to do.”
On the economic development front, Clarke said improvements to West Orillia roads, particularly the Old Barrie Road intersection, were critical to pave the way for the opening of Costco. He also pointed to the sale of Orillia Power’s distribution arm to Hydro One and Hydro One’s plans to build an advanced technology hub in Orillia as a potentially “transformative” decision. “We’re hoping to get approval in the next couple of months from the Ontario Energy Board.”
He also cited council decisions to sell several municipal properties as economic boosters. He said housing projects on the former Orillia Community Centre land and the former David H. Church School property will be catalysts in those areas and he said he looks forward to “ambitious” plans for the Central School site. “In addition, the waterfront development project is huge and I believe that can be accomplished in the next five years. Each of these developments we’ve been careful to ensure they enhance – not detract – from the quality of life that is so important to all of us.”
Despite those positives, he said his biggest disappointment, to date, was not going further with the Orillia Waterfront Centre. During his first weeks in office, a fire razed the Port of Orillia building and council, over time, opted to build a new facility that is a “beautiful and great enhancement. But, in retrospect, we didn’t go far enough. We have a beautiful, vibrant waterfront … I truly believe we should have gone a few steps further. I regret we didn’t put a skate trail there.”
He also said “there is more work to do on affordable housing and our low average family income.” Improving both will be a priority for Year 4. “Our other priority will be completing projects that are on the go – that will take a lot of energy.”
