THUNDER BAY – Rob Barrett says he’s got the experience and the cooperative spirit to lead on Thunder Bay’s city council.
Though he didn’t succeed in his first foray into politics during the provincial election earlier this year, placing third in the Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding with just under 25 per cent of the vote, he called the experience a positive one.
The run came after 36 years in Thunder Bay, during which Barrett led the Shelter House and YES Employment and worked as a consultant and executive coach.
In his latest round of door-knocking, Barrett said public safety has been the foremost issue on citizens’ minds.
“People need to feel they can walk the streets, that they feel safe, and we can do that,” he said. “I think we can do that in a number of different ways.”
He cited the approach of New York City, which he said has “transitioned from a place you want to avoid to a place you really want to go to” since the 1970s, as a template for local action.
“Thunder Bay could be just like that, and you do it by working neighbourhood by neighbourhood, working closely with police, city officials and bylaw, and neigbour-to-neigbour,” he said. “That’s how we change things and claw back the neighbourhoods we’ve kind of acquiesced to.”
Asked about his perspective on a proposed indoor turf facility, Barrett said he believes the city can settle on a less costly design.
He sees the facility as one important tool in making Thunder Bay more attractive to newcomers.
“We have people who want to come to our city, either with businesses or professionals, who are used to warmer climates,” he said. “They want to come here, they want to live in Thunder Bay, but they want their kids to be able to recreate year-round. So there’s a lot of things we need to think about, not just about serving our current set of youth, but also future ones.”
There are now similar levels of interest in playing soccer and hockey locally, he said, “so we need to be frugal, but fair.”
He’s open to private involvement in an indoor turf facility, as long as there are assurances about public accessibility and maintenance.
“I think we can get away with a model that is much less than the one that went to city council that was voted down, but still serve the needs of our soccer population here in town – and in a very inclusive way that also includes minor football and other folks,” he said.
As to why he hopes he’ll earn one of up to five at-large votes on residents’ ballots, he said it comes down to an attitude of openness.
“I listen, I collaborate, and I’m very transparent,” he said. “I will always call people back, I will always have a very real, honest conversation with them… Sometimes we can’t solve everything, and I would acknowledge that – but sometimes we can, and sometimes it doesn’t cost extra money to do that – we just have to be creative and open.”
