Re-Elect Mike Dell
A Plan for Callander
Callander is a great place to live. And we face a challenge.
3,900 residents are carrying the cost of a municipality with aging infrastructure and rising expenses.
We can't keep responding by asking the same taxpayers to pay more.
Grow the tax base, not just the tax rate
I believe the long-term answer is careful growth. That means attracting more residents and businesses, creating opportunities for new homes, and protecting the character people love about Callander.
My focus over the next four years will be built around three priorities.
Keep improving our downtown, waterfront, parks and public spaces.
Projects like the Heritage Walk and the natural shoreline at Centennial Park are part of a bigger idea: make Callander an attractive, interesting and welcoming small town.
A more attractive community draws people. People support local businesses. New homes and businesses help grow our tax base.
Make Callander a place people choose
For me, growth isn't about making Callander bigger for its own sake.
I want Callander to grow enough to support the services and infrastructure we need, without losing the community's character.
In the village, that means building more homes within the community, connecting neighbourhoods, and making it easier to get around on foot with better sidewalks and trails.
In our rural areas, it means creating more opportunities for new lots and housing.
For business, it means supporting downtown storefronts, making sure home-based businesses have the services they need, and helping our tourism sector bring more people into the community.
Grow carefully
Callander has major infrastructure decisions ahead, including municipal buildings and wastewater infrastructure.
We need to plan further ahead, work from realistic costs and understand the full financial impact before committing taxpayers to major projects.
Council won't always agree on the answer. But we should be asking the right questions before making those decisions.
Make smart infrastructure decisions
We've already started
Over the last four years, I've worked to move this approach forward.
Proposed the Callander Heritage Walk photo murals through a Council motion and helped move the project through to completion
Proposed the natural shoreline restoration at Centennial Park
Helped establish the Placemaking Advisory Committee
Created the initial concept for improvements at Main Street and Lansdowne corner and helped move it through Placemaking to completion
Brought forward a motion to create clearer, plain-language zoning notices after residents raised concerns about the information they were receiving
Proposed the Take it Slow campaign through Council and supported Share the Road changes designed to slow traffic and give cyclists more space
Consistently pushed Council to use our Strategic Plan and Downtown Waterfront Revitalization Strategy when making decisions
Why I'm running again
We've made progress, but the work isn't finished.
There is more to do downtown and along the waterfront. We need to broaden our tax base. And we have important infrastructure decisions ahead that will shape Callander for the next 10 and 20 years.
I'd like the opportunity to continue that work.
I’m invested in seeing Callander grow into its best version — I sincerely hope you'll consider me for Callander’s Council.
If this resonates with you, I’d appreciate your vote.
By mail, or on Monday, October 24, 2022.
All the best,
Mike Dell
