Four years ago, Colleen Evans was a challenger vying for a seat on city council. This time around, she’ll enter the contest as an incumbent.
On Monday morning she announced she would again be seeking a spot in the elections this fall, with the same main campaign team chaired by Freeman and former mayor Mary Ashley by her side.
“I’m just so thrilled to have so many of you back here on this campaign,” she said, adding a welcome to the new members. “I just felt such a sense of commitment to this community.”
Evans made the announcement at the Campbell River Museum, which she described as an appropriate place in that it links the community’s past with its future.
“It’s a place that really is a community gathering place,” he said. “This is where organizations come together.”
Over the last four years, Evans has played roles on the Airport Advisory Authority and Airport Commission and chaired the Airport Review Select Committee. She also chaired the Tourism Advisory Committee and the Culture, Recreation, Parks Commission. She has also served as the mayor’s appointee for the Waterfront Task Force, the Vancouver Island Community Benefit Task Force and Community Hub, the regional solid waste board and the Creative Industries Council and Economic Development.
“It’s just been a privilege to serve in this capacity,” she said.
Evans is also president and CEO of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce and said a priority for the next four years will be balanced future economic growth while preserving the city’s history. She cited new businesses in the city and a population that has now grown to 38,500 as signs of a vibrant economy.
“The last four years on council have been extremely rewarding,” she said.
Evans also pointed to areas that need continued attention. In a backgrounder, she listed a number of upcoming priorities, including a community plan that engages all sectors of Campbell River, a resilient and sustainanble economy, responsible and fiscally prudent municipal spending and the preservation and promotion of the area’s history, culture and liveability.
“There’s still a lot more work to be done,” she said.