MAIN PHOTO: Cathy Deagle-Gammon wants to be the voice for the District 1 community when voters go to the polls in October. (Submitted photo)
FALL RIVER: Community volunteer and award winning business woman, Cathy Deagle-Gammon, aims to earn the trust of voters in District 1 Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley to be their councillor on HRM Regional Council.
Deagle-Gammon made her candidacy for the position official yesterday, July 24. She is the third candidate to put her name forward for the position. The others are Art Wamback and Steve Kamperman. Incumbent Steve Streatch has yet to announce his intentions.
She feels confidence around the team she has assembled.
“I think this time we’re much more prepared,” she said outside her Fall River home with dog Max nearby. “This time the team is more expansive and so there’s a lot more support in terms of understanding the needs and the strategy.
“In the last three-and-a-half years we’ve also seen what we want to be different. I took the time to get directly involved in local organizations, learned a great deal about our community and look forward to learning more. That’s the experience that I bring into the 2020 campaign.”
The Fall River woman is the Executive Director of DASC (Dartmouth Adult Service Centre), a multi-million-dollar social enterprise based out of Dartmouth where she has worked with all levels of government to provide services and programs to their clients. She is a board member with the Greater Burnside Business Association, President of the Social Enterprise Network of NS and locally on the LWF Ratepayers Association and Keloose. Cathy was a founder and continues to volunteer with the Lions Xmas Express/Christmas This Spring.
One thing that stood out as her learning from the last time, she was clear she doesn’t do party politics.
“What I learned is that even though municipal politics isn’t party politics, it sometimes comes to play,” said Deagle-Gammon.
Deagle-Gammon has some ideas she would like to bring forward for residents in the vast riding that is suburban/urban, and rural.
“This is a beautiful district,” she said. “It is so unique because it is urban/suburban, and rural. In that uniqueness one thing that needs to happen is all the communities from Dartmouth , Waverley to Musquodoboit, they need to know what is available to them as citizens of HRM.
“That can only happen if they’re consulted, if there is more engagement if there are people who will setup the opportunities for them, so they know what’s going on for them.”
She said community is really where solutions are found, not always at a round table at city hall.
Video from Deagle-Gammon’s YouTube:
Deagle-Gammon spoke directly to the residents of Musquodoboit Valley about making them feel part of HRM given they may not all feel that way.
“They need to see their councillor,” she said. “You need to be there. You need to be in the community, at the coffee shop if that’s what it is, but you need to be fully present as much as possible.
“I think you also need to celebrate what is incredibly unique, such as the gem of a transportation system in MusGo Rider. It’s one I would like to see emulated throughout HRM, either through them growing or having another service.”
For example, a service like MusGo Rider would allow seniors in Fall River-Wellington , Waverley-Grand Lake areas to get to appointments; youth can get to school; social gatherings can happen; and people can get to places they need to be.
“You don’t have to live in the city to enjoy the city, but you need to be able to get there to enjoy those places, like our museums,” she said.
Deagle-Gammon acknowledges that transit is an issue in the riding and the conversations needs to be restarted so residents can make use of the service.
“We need to see why the conversation ended. Did the energy get lost on it? Was there no more uptake on it?” she said. “We need to understand those first and then work with that. But we need to get transit not just into Fall River, but into Waverley along Rocky Lake Drive and Waverley Road and into Wellington on Hwy 2.
“Is it a multi-partner solution like a rural transit system that connects to major sites. Something that would connect to Sobeys and then up to Perrin Drive. We need to think broadly and more than one solution.”
She said there’s a slew of issues in the riding, and a planned approach is required. She feels she’s the best one capable of putting that in place.
“We have to think how we are going to enjoy our community, how we’re going to keep seniors in their own community,” she said. “What supports and programs we can put in place.
“Affordable housing for not just seniors, but families, young families. We don’t really have much of a rental market here, so we need to see how that would look so young families can start here.”
“It is amazing to still think there are people in HRM that have water issues. A coordinated plan, can only happen with collaboration of all three levels of government.”
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 9)Deagle-Gammon said when looking at the safe enjoyment of the communities, people are still worried to cycle along Hwy 2 in Fletchers Lake and the Waverley Road. Speeding is also one issue she keeps hearing about.
“People who live in Wellington, Fletchers Lake, Fall River Rd. and Waverley Rd are concerned about others safety,” she said. “How do we make it safer for cyclists? For runners? That’s a huge issue.”
She said this is a good time for HRM to reflect on its history and how they have behaved.
“We need to be respectful of what’s happening. We need to learn more around Black Lives Matter, about respect there, for our culture, diversity, for Indigenous persons,” she said. “It’s an opportunity that we really need to get right.”
She said the election will also be different given it will be during a pandemic so councillors will have to be creative in getting the word out, while also ensuring everyone stays safe.
“I encourage everyone to wear a mask if they can’t social distance,” said Deagle-Gammon.
Deagle-Gammon spoke of how she would work with local sports and community groups, including the Wellington Hall, McDonald Sports Park, WJCC, and Fall River and Area Business Association.
“The first thing I would want to do is bring like minded groups together,” she said. “I would find out their experiences, do research, what’s happening, what shared experiences between one another can we bring, and how we can support them through HRM.
“What we don’t want to lose is what is true community and true volunteers. We want to build together.”
She concluded by explaining why residents should choose her when they vote on Oct. 17.
“People should vote for me because I’m going to be the kind of leader that they need. I’m going to be engaged, fully present, I will be the best communicator they have ever seen,” she said. “They will be supported and listened too. I have been mission-driven my entire life. And I live here.”
For more information on Deagle-Gammon, please check out her website at: www.cathydistrict1.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathyincommunity/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/communitycathy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxhGwKPDgOwe7iw-k5y_ew
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/communitycathy/
