Meet Bryn Ward, New West Progressives
Name: Bryn Ward
Website: brynward4nw.com
Facebook: @newwestprogressives
Instagram/Twitter: @nwprogressives
Questions (50 words unless otherwise specified)
Tell us about yourself. (100 words)
Proud NWP candidate Bryn Ward has resided in New Westminster since 2001 with her daughter.
She graduated from UBC and Beverly Hills High School with honours and as public speaking champion.
Brynis president of the Hyack Festival Association, local RE/MAX REALTOR® (2017 Community Spirit Award recipient), actress (best known for her role on Party of Five) and owner/instructor of her local acting school.
She is an advocate for arts and culture, education, mental health and addiction: funding-treatment-recovery, affordable housing and a balance of tradition/modernization in our Royal City.
“I believe I can make a difference and would like to not only ...
What are the top 3 issues facing the City of New Westminster? (100 words)
1. ALL TALK NO ACTION, or action that is NOT what the taxpayers want, not what the experts on the committees recommend or is not in our citizens' best interests (examples: lack of support and funding for the continuation our traditions including May Day and the Hyack Festival Association and Parade). Pushing through projects and making decisions at the last minute and without proper public engagement.
2. Affordable housing, additional rental units, co-ops, family-friendly options (townhouses, 3-bedroom condos)
3. The city being in direct competition with their citizens (ie. arts council) and all council members are NDP (endorsed by special interest groups).
What is the biggest success or failure of the current city council?
Lack of planning and implementation, grant terms and allotments (especially for the arts)
Overdevelopment without thinking about the big picture: adequate schools, amenities, green spaces and our city's future.
Not listening and executing our citizens' wants and needs.
All of the red tape, lack of transparency, cohesiveness and commonsense practices.
The City of New Westminster concluded a lengthy official community plan process and is working to implement that plan. With the city’s population projected to grow to 104,000 by 2041, is the city on the right track to accommodating this growth? (50 words).
No.
We don't have enough amenities to accommodate our growing population, and the ones we do have are in dire straits of upgrades and/or replacing.
Parking and traffic are already an issue with our current population.
We need more family-friendly (townhouses, 3-bedroom condos) and AFFORDABLE housing options!
What three people – alive or dead – would you invite to a dinner party? (50 words)
1. A tie between my brother Warren (RIP) and God.
2. Rosa Parks: civil rights activist, leader, hero.
She was tired of giving in so she stood up for herself and what she believed in by sitting.
3- Dr. Gabor Mate: Canadian physician, renowned addiction specialist, speaker, bestselling author, Holocaust survivor.
Editor's note: Candidates were given specific word count guidelines and were cut off if they went over the count.
