Vibrant Downtowns that Attract People and Jobs

Our downtowns contribute to Oakville’s health and vibrance by serving as vital crossroads where residents, workers and visitors convene. But Downtown Oakville, Bronte and Kerr Villages are commercial districts facing stiff competition from malls, on-line shopping, and neighbouring municipalities.  Fundamental to their sustainability as social and economic hubs is ensuring that people have a reason to visit these areas. The Town can help in revitalization efforts and by giving the Business Improvement Areas Boards greater say in this work.  

This includes empowering them to steer investments in activities and showcase events that draw people back to our downtowns. It also involves ensuring that the Town, Visit Oakville, the BIAs and the Regional Tourism Organization work cooperatively to showcase these locations to residents and visitors.

I will work to make the town’s commercial districts of Bronte Village, Kerr Village and Downtown Oakville vibrant, destinations. I will support the promotion of these locations as must-visit locales for residents, those living in nearby cities and visitors from afar. These areas need to be economic, social, cultural hubs that are actively promoted within the community and beyond.

Solve Downtown & Bronte Village's Chronic Parking Problems

Oakville residents have been talking -- and complaining -- about the parking situation in Downtown Oakville for over a decade. Local businesses that make the downtown so desirable are having trouble getting staff because of a 2-year wait to get employee parking.  Bronte Village parking and related predatory towing, have become critical issues that are having detrimental effects for residents and visitors to the area

As Mayor, I will make solving the towing crisis in Bronte and the persistent parking problems in Downtown and Bronte a Town priority.

Make Attracting Visitors a Priority Again

Tourism is a function undertaken by an independent organization called Visit Oakville. I believe that the Town should be more involved in helping to bring visitors to Oakville who will help support our local hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses.

As Mayor, I will foster a strategic alliance with Visit Oakville to support the tourism sector and will explore ways in which the Town’s share of the Municipal Accommodation Tax can be best utilized in this support.

As Mayor, I will make attracting tourism to Oakville a strategic and economic priority for the Town again.

Attract a Boutique Hotel to Downtown Oakville

When people in Oakville have friends, family and visitors in Oakville can they put them up in an attractive hotel that complements our Town and its beauty? Attracting a "placemaking" hotel for Oakville in the trend of the beautiful boutique hotels that are popping up across North America and the world would help attract people to our Oakville and offer welcome accommodation for residents' invited guests. 

As Mayor, I would work with local hoteliers, Economic Development and Planning staff to explore options for attracting a hotel Downtown, that builds on the character and appeal of our town

Complete Kerr Street Train tracks Underpass

The train tracks on Kerr Street are a nuisance that is snarling the flow of traffic in our community but Metrolinx has put it on hold and awaiting “better market conditions.” This is unacceptable.

As Mayor, I will work to expedite the priority of the Kerr Street underpass and get it completed.

Mitigate Mega Warehouse Traffic and Noise Pollution in Joshua Creek

The mega warehouses on Winston Churchill are the wrong type of development for any residential neighborhood in Oakville. Unfortunately, the previous town administration has already approved the site plan. At this point, the most important action we can take for our residents is to ensure full mitigation of the impacts. As mayor, it will be a priority for me to take this issue head-on and I am committed to the following:

• Oakville will determine the full utilization of the proposed development using qualified, independent experts and will validate any numbers provided by the developers. Given we are looking at 200+ truck bays, accepting the developer’s forecasts would be negligent. As all further studies (including traffic, acoustics, and air quality) will stem from the determination of full utilization, this needs to be the first step.

• I will ensure that the developers follow through with their promises to provide mitigation, as required. Once we’ve determined full utilization and have received new studies based on those parameters, we can then determine what mitigation will be needed to ensure our residents and the environment remain minimally impacted by this monster of development.

• I will instruct the developer to complete the structures they plan on using for sound dampening first in order to ensure that our residents and environment are not subjected to the full decibel level of noise during both construction and subsequent operation.

• I will ensure that automated decibel measuring devices are installed in strategic areas around the neighborhood to provide the constant measurement of the sound output of the site

• I will work with the neighboring city of Mississauga to coordinate discussions and planning regarding the multiple “mega warehouse” sites. This particularly pertains to Winston Churchill Blvd and the lack of infrastructure to allow potentially thousands of tractor-trailers to travel to and from the sites.

Renovate & Refurbish Glen Abbey Community Centre

The Glen Abbey Community Centre is a wonderful facility that is showing its age. Tired and worn it is in need of a renovation and refurbishment.

As Mayor, I will advocate during the Budget process for funding to renovate and refurbish our Glen Abbey Community Centre.

Oakville Needs A New Performing Arts Centre and Culture Hub

Oakville has outgrown its cultural resources. The capacity does not exist to host the large scale productions, that would attract bigger audiences. Even smaller community arts schools and groups often cannot find the space within Oakville to showcase their artsts’ talent.

14-Years of Studies and Dithering Haven't Delivered Oakville's Culture Hub.

Oakville has been promised a new Culture Hub since 2008. Mismanaged from the start, Oakville's Culture Hub has had three different studies that have cost millions of tax-payer dollars. And still, Oakville's Culture Hub remains just a promise. 

Rob Burton Claims the Town Used Culture Hub Money to Build the Hospital: That's Not True

Town Council approved $130M local Contribution for the hospital in Jan 2015.  This was through $90M in debt financing, to be repaid through future Oakville Hydro dividends. Balance of $40M from a reserve created from the sale of Blink Communications in 2010.  The Town's 2015 Annual Report identifies a future initiative to include public consultation, market assessment and potential partners for redevelopment....so the Town was a long way from financing the project. 

Conclusion:  in 2015, the majority of the local hospital contribution was debt financed.  The cultural hub was still being planned. So Burton's assertion that they are connected is wrong.

My Commitment to Get Oakville's Culture Hub Built

Oakville's arts lovers have been waiting too long.  I will re-ignite this neglected project and ensure Oakville's Culture Hub gets built.

Invest in Communty Centers and Ease On-Street Parking in the Preserve and Ward 7

There is real need for recreational and community engagement facilities in North Oakville. With thousands more families calling North Oakville home there is an ever-inreasing pressure to serve the increased popluation.

As Mayor, I will work with community groups, the Town and Council to provide needed investment in community centres and activities in North Oakville.

Anyone who lives in the Preserve and Ward 7 will tell you, parking is a major issue. The Town failed to plan sufficiently for the number residents’ cars. This is exacerbated by overly zealous on-street parking restrictions.

As Mayor, I will work with the Town staff and Council to ease the on-street parking restrictions.

Divert Construction Traffic Away from Loyalist Trail

Loyalist Trail is a thoroughfare that connects neighbours together in Ward 7. Many families have made that area their home in Oakville given the park and amenities nearby. However, these families suffer from the constant construction traffic that goes down Loyalist Trail to access a construction site right across the community. The traffic includes heavy trucks and construction vehicles that drive right by their community park, putting children at risk.

 When elected Mayor, I will work with Council to divert construction traffic away from Loyalist Trail and implore the developers to use alternate routes to access their construction site.

Independent Pickleball Courts

With the uptick in the number of Oakville residents playing pickleball, it is time they have their own facility, right here in Oakville.

As Mayor, I will work with town council to construct a dedicated pickleball facility that will both provide our pickleball players space while mitigating noise for the rest of Oakville.

More Investment into Tennis Facilities

Tennis is one of the most beloved sports in Oakville. As more residents join their neighbours on the court, wait lists continue to build and build.

As Mayor, I will advocate for resurfacing current public courts to help ease waiting lists. Furthermore, I will work with town council to invest in tennis "bubbles" that will allow for tennis courts to be used in the Winter.

Traffic Calming on Residential Streets & Addressing Car Theft & Break-ins

Feeling safe in one’s community is fundamental to our sense of belonging. Residents are concerned about speeding cars on residential streets where children are playing and people are walking. Residents are equally concerned about the rate of break-ins and car thefts in our community.

As Mayor, I am committed to implementing traffic calming initiatives and further empowering our Halton Regional Police to deal with the increase in car thefts and break-ins.