BIOGRAPHY
I was born and raised in Toronto but have gladly called Brockton home for nearly 25 years. I attended Humber College for Fashion Design and then completed a diploma in Interior Design. I have raised four children and have seven grandchildren. My daughters and their families live in Bruce County and my son is in the Canadian Infantry stationed in Manitoba. Our family chose to move to Walkerton after our house was robbed and my car was stolen in Etobicoke. We have never regretted coming to this great community. We love and appreciate country life and the generous people that make up our community!
I have served two terms on Brockton council, 2010-2014 and 2018-2022. I am seeking a third term with your support so that I can continue to advocate for our taxpayers and business owners.
I own and operate The Chepstow Inn which I saved from demolition. It is the oldest operating hotel in Bruce County and I’ve been in operation for over eight years. I have worldwide guests and a five-star rating. I’m an avid genealogist and volunteered for many years at Family History Centres. I help host Greenock Swamp Tours at my hotel which is great for tourism and promotes heritage. I was an original member of the Doctor Recruitment Committee and continue to serve on it today and I sat on the Image Committee from its inception for many years.
ISSUES
I believe that there are several important issues that we are facing in Brockton that need discussion and action. It is vital that we keep our Walkerton hospital open and fully functioning without any more closures. Being a popular birthing centre for southwestern Bruce County, I would like the Ministry of Health to supply more funding to offset increased costs for this valuable service.
Similarly, seeing increased services at the Chesley hospital is needed for our residents in the northern part of Brockton. We are facing a health-care crisis and our local hospitals were the first to be affected. In the next term, council should continue to approach the hospital administrators and the provincial government to ask questions to seek long-term solutions.
Additionally, Hanover is considering annexation of lands in our municipality, around Lake Rosalind. I do not support annexation as Brockton should maintain the assessment of this area and keep all Bruce County lands within our county. This boundary is about 173 years old! I will defend Brockton’s interest and respectfully ask that the Town of Hanover approach their neighbours within Grey County to address their growth.
Currently, Brockton is bursting at the seams! We must lobby the government to allow us to grow into some agricultural land on the edges of our towns, villages and hamlets. Development of residential and commercial properties will help our assessment and possibly lower taxes overall. These developments must include affordable housing and rental units.
Along with population growth, we will need to offer more services for our residents of all ages. Years ago we missed out on grant opportunities for a new arena complex. The next council should prioritize having a plan developed so that we are shovel-ready when the next grant opportunities arise. We need to lay the foundation and be prepared so that our next community centre can be a hub for all residents and their interests.
Recently, our community has become host to several homeless persons. This is a challenging situation and a growing concern in rural Ontario. Previously, most homeless survived on the streets of big cities, where more services and programs exist. It is important that we help these vulnerable people with the support that they need. In Brockton, a significant portion of our tax dollars go to Bruce County Social Services, who in turn rely on the YMCA for assistance. Unfortunately, these agencies also rely on our municipal employees when helping the homeless who cost us additional tax dollars. The homeless plight is a vicious circle. I would like to see more counsellors available to help these people break free of their addictions and then be in a place to change their lives. The dollars invested need to provide real solutions.
