Greg Grant says the result gives him a chance to reset priorities
The mayor-elect of Lakeland Ridges says he wants to return the municipality to his vision – a community that works together to enhance the quality of life for residents.
On Monday, May 11, Greg Grant earned 538 votes, beating out incumbent Leonard Foster by 205 votes. Grant says he felt a sense of relief when he saw the results.
“It felt really good,” he told the River Valley Sun. “I felt I finally had a chance to do what I had been asking the old council to do for the last couple of years, and for whatever reason, they didn’t see the fact that studies needed to be done, people needed to be talked to. And that’s what’s going to happen now,” said Grant.
Since the amalgamation, the Lakeland Ridges council has had its decision-making powers suspended by the Department of Local Government in 2023 due to internal conflict and bullying, leaving it unable to govern effectively.
As mayor, Grant says his first priority is to work with the province to reopen North Lake Provincial Park. He says people in the area lack recreational activities, and thinks the park is a way to reintroduce an important recreational space for residents.
The second item on his to-do list is asset management and capital management.
“It’s going to be tight, because it takes a couple of months for each one of those studies. If I get that done, that’ll be a pretty good year right there,” said Grant.
Councillor Brab Glanville, the only incumbent to keep her seat, says she wants to focus on environmental protection, noting that climate change is negatively impacting the area. With her experience in fire training, she believes she has insight into the resources needed for the Lakeland Ridges’ environment to thrive.
Both Grant and Glanville are keen for the council to improve its internal and external communication, something community members have told them needs improvement.
Jillian Manuel, a resident of Lakeland Ridges, is hopeful that the new leadership will finally collaborate effectively. She added that she was pleased with the results.
“It is great to see some returning experience and some new voices for our municipality. Here’s hoping to a productive and collaborative council,” she said.
Grant says he’s excited to help communities in Lakeland Ridges that haven’t yet received the support they should have, and to grow those that have.
“It’s a, it’s a wonderful municipality with great people. There’s a lot of communities, bigger and smaller.They love their communities, and it’s great,” said Grant. “Not a lot of them receive the support maybe they should have. I would like to think that I can reach out to all of them and help all of them as much as we can.”
