Street is clear favorite in Paradise
By Mark Squibb/September 30, 2021
Kimberley Street, who joined council in 2019 in a by-election, earned 2243 votes, the most of any of the nine candidates in Tuesday’s election in Paradise.
“I’m feel pretty good right now,” said Street. “I feel pretty honoured… it feels great to have gotten the most votes… I’m really looking forward to continuing this four year term and doing some great things for the residents and the community.”
Street said her accessibility had a lot to do with the win.
“And I’ve just been me,” said Street. “I’ve been open with people. If somebody wants to discuss something, I’ve made myself available at all times. I’ve had the discussions and brought concerns and ideas back to the town to get answers. And sometimes those answers aren’t aren’t always what people want to hear, but at least they’ve been spoken to, and at least they’ve been heard, and I think that’s important.”
Street extended her congratulations to newly elected members of council and re-elected members, and thanked residents for coming out to vote.
“Anybody who puts their name forward deserves recognition for putting themselves out there and trying to do good things for the community, with good intentions,” she said.
Street wished her father Dave could have been with her to celebrate, but she definitely felt his presence election night and is proud to be his daughter.
Following Street in the vote count was incumbent Patrick Martin, who tallied 2016 votes.
Also elected to council were Patrick Martin, Elizabeth Laurie, Glen ‘Bic’ Carew, Larry Vaters, and Deborah Quilty, in that order.
Carew spent much of Tuesday night with a buddy taking down his election signs as a way to calm his nerves and keep his eyes on the tally of incoming election votes.
But that nervousness tuned out to be misplaced. Carew tallied 1678 votes, the highest number of votes for a candidate who was not a returning member of council and fourth highest overall.
“It’s really only starting to sink in right now,” said Carew. “To be in fourth place in the final tally, yeah, that’s great.”
Once seated at the table, he hopes to address what he calls a high municipal tax, and concerns he has with snow clearing in the town.
“I’m happy with the result,” said Carew. “I worked really, really hard for it. I had great support from residents, friends, and family. I got the result I was really hoping for and I’m ecstatic about it.”
The results are certainly more to Carew’s liking to the results he received in 2017 when he ran for a seat in Paradise. At that time, he placed eleventh out of 16 candidates.
“I knocked on more doors this time around, “said Carew. “And my social media presence was strong… last time was more of a door knocking campaign, but I think in this day and age you have to be well rounded with a strong, physical, knock-at-the-door presence, as well as the social media and community presence. So, I think I did I a better job this time around in that regard.”
But Carew admitted a little luck may also have been involved, pointing out there were only nine candidates this time around.
He said he’s proud of the confidence voters have placed in him and is excited to get orientated and get to work.
“Everyone who decided to put their hat in the ring is a winner in my book,” said Carew. “I know that sounds cliché but that’s the reality.”
Meanwhile, long time councillor Deborah Quilty earned just six votes over candidate Simon Walley, just enough to clinch the final seat at the council table.