My name is Steve Ranta.
I care about our community, and our future. I listen, and have learned that Maple Ridge residents value:
Liveability,
Infrastructure,
Services,
Transportation, Environment, and
Nature.
L-I-S-T-E-N . . .
We are facing a Time Bomb!
The Province and Metro Vancouver are expecting Maple Ridge to absorb another 30,000 people in the next 20 years.
Yet they are doing next to nothing to help our community with new transportation alternatives, health care services, schools, recreation facilities, or parks.
We are already experiencing the start of a collapse in liveability.
Some of the signs are:
- No ambulances available at some times, and at other times, long waits, even for serious medical issues.
- Severe traffic congestion during ever-lengthening rush hours, especially around specific areas and bottlenecks, as well as slow traffic in many areas for the whole day.
- Homelessness and lack of affordable housing.
- Pressure on recreation facilities, trails, and parks, including the need to reserve two days ahead to visit Alouette Lake.
- Reliance on travelling to other municipalities to find work, education, or shopping.
Maple Ridge is facing Severe Challenges . . . yet other Council candidates are still talking ‘business as usual’.
No More Development without Infrastructure!
We can’t afford to keep voting for Councillors which offer mostly lip service, distraction, and symbolic gestures, while continuing to promote unbalanced, unsupported, and unsustainable development.
Recognize that Liveability and Land are Maple Ridge’s most valuable features!
No more giving those features away with development charges less than half those in neighbouring municipalities. Instead use development charges appropriately, to help build our city.
Demand more support from regional, provincial, and federal governments before agreeing to huge population increases!
No more meekly acquiescing to ‘regional growth plans’ which put the onus on our city to accept tens of thousands more residents, without the proper support from regional, provincial, and federal governments, especially transportation, recreation, and educational and health care services.
I grew up in Maple Ridge, and I’ve lived most of my life here. The majority of my working life I was a teacher, including as a full-tme grievance officer, and as a part-time musician. But I’ve also worked in the mill, in construction, in a tree nursery, as a lifeguard, and as a labourer.
I lived through some very good times – affordable housing and education, decent wages, accessible healthcare, and clear skies.
Since I retired I have become more concerned about the world we will be leaving to our young people, including my two sons, who are in their late twenties.
I’ve been active lately in engaging with others, including elected officials and city planners, about planning, housing, and transportation, including an emphasis on environment and climate change.
We need a vision for our city’s future which puts quality of life, for current and future residents, first!
Help our Community be a better place for all of us.
Elect a Councillor who will LISTEN.
Vote for:
Liveability
Infrastructure
Services
Transportation
Environment
Nature
Contact: sranta@shaw.ca
Phone: 604 463 7764
Text: 778 954 8450
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