Martin makes two for mayor’s chair in Paradise

By Mark Squibb

Longstanding Paradise councillor Patrick Martin will be running for the mayor’s chair in the upcoming municipal election.
“I have learned so much in the last three terms, worked with so many amazing people, and I feel confident that I have the knowledge to step up my game, as the saying goes, and run for the mayoral seat,” said Martin. “Mayor (Dan) Bobbett is stepping down from the mayor’s role, and I’ve had a lot of people in the last four years reach out with their support and encourage me to run. They thought I would be a good candidate for the mayor’s position, and with the support of my family and friends I decided to put my name forward.”
Over the years, Martin has sat on all internal committees of council, and on a number of external committees, including the Peter Barry Duff Memorial committee, Northeast Avalon Joint Council, and the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) committee.
“I will try my very best to assist our residents, but sometimes they don’t always get the answer they are hoping for, and that can be both disappointing and frustrating for our community members,” Martin allowed. “I hope that what I have done in these past years is to show people that even when I can’t get them the answer they want, I still get them an honest answer.”
Martin was first elected to council in 2013 in the midst of a local population boom that marked Paradise as one of the fastest growing towns in Atlantic Canada. When Martin was first elected, the population hovered around 18,000, well up from previous years. Today, the town boasts a population of about 23,000.
“A lot has changed in Paradise over the last 12 years,” said Martin. “Paradise has grown to be the third largest municipality in our province. With that comes a lot of growing pains. We have seen developments, new schools, new lift station improvements and lots of new playgrounds. But we still have lots of work to do.”
If elected, Martin said his intention over the next term would be to continue chipping away at the water and sewer priority list, working with government to secure funding for an additional entrance into the town to help alleviate traffic congestion, finding a solution to the low water pressure being experienced by some residents, increasing traffic calming measures, and petitioning for an RNC detachment in Paradise.
“I can recall my first writeup in the The Shoreline,” quipped Martin. “Something along the lines of ‘Courier runs for Council.’ There were many who thought this was a ridiculous idea but, lucky for me, more thought it was a good idea. I am so grateful for the support that has carried me from 2013 to now.”
Martin and wife Christine have five neurodiverse children— Patrick, twins Spencer and Sarah, Lance, and Savanah. Both Martin and Christine have been vocal advocates for autism awareness over the years.
Martin encouraged residents to reach out to him with any questions or concerns they may have. He announced his intention to run for the mayor’s chair during last week’s public council meeting, just a few weeks after fellow councillor Larry Vaters announced his intention to run.
Former Mayor Dan Bobbett has announced that he will not seek re-election as mayor, though he left the door open to the possibility of running for a council seat.