Sean Caffrey, running for Ward 3 town and regional council, wants to revitalize Oakville’s downtown core and inject some forward thinking into the town’s governance.
A lot of the current councillors have been serving for a while and he thinks maybe it’s time for some people with fresher ideas to take the reins.
“This isn’t against any particular person but a lot of the councillors have been serving for 40 years,” said Caffrey. “Some have had 10 and 12 elections and they’ve run unattested for the most part. I think we’re starting to see the signs of that, especially downtown.”
There have been a lot of store closures downtown with some businesses even boarding up their windows. Because of this he feels the area is also losing its aesthetic appeal. If this issue isn’t fixed soon he fears it will get worse as the years go by.
Part of his revitalization plan includes ideas like having Sheridan College’s art students, as well as other local artists, display their work in the windows of the closed down storefronts. This will help promote the work of Oakville’s local talent and assist in beautifying the downtown core.
“These are ways of thinking that the people on council, the older people, don’t think about. Why wouldn’t they utilize an amazing art college like Sheridan? And not only Sheridan but also surrounding artists?”
Caffrey feels this kind of out-of-the-box thinking will be essential in moving Oakville forward. Besides fixing the areas aesthetic problems, he says utilizing the open space and increasing foot traffic will also be crucial in bringing more revenue to the Ward. Caffrey wants to take a more creative approach to addressing these things as well.
“I was down there Saturday and there were three kids with guitars playing and they had their hat out. There was a crowed around them and it was amazing,” he said. “It was fun to watch and everyone was engaging. Downtown has to become a destination again.”
Caffrey feels the town’s governance has become complacent and too focused on short-term solutions. He believes that his foresight, along with his innovative approach, make him a good candidate for today’s Oakville. Putting in place long-term initiatives that will help out in the future as well as right now is a key part of his campaign.
“I want to do something that has an impact on the community. It bothers me when I walk downtown; I start to see Oakville slipping. It can easily go the other way. Fast-forward 10 years from now, you keep with this same complacency and lack of vision, it’s going to be a ghost town. “
Contacting Sean Caffrey
business phone: (416) 876-3006
email: [email protected]
District: Ward 3
Position: Town and Regional Councillor