On October 6th, like all other Mayoralty and Councillor candidates in King Township, I was afforded an opportunity to address the Chamber membership on my views and approach to Business in King.
Below is the text of my address.
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My name is Greg Locke and I want to be one of YOUR Councillors for King Township.
It’s valuable for you to understand what I mean by Positive Leadership. It’s three things that form my approach to working with YOU our business community, the Chamber, our resident community and Council:
• Represent a POSITIVE, strong, informed voice for YOU, across King and beyond.
• Contribute POSITIVELY, to the unity, quality, and commitment of our joint interests at Council and other levels of government, and,
• Promote a POSITIVE vision for King, that balances responsible economic growth, with preservation and sustainable management of King’s natural, heritage and artistic assets.
This is the kind of leadership we require, NOW – positive, and active.
I possess over 20 years of business and community experience and my education includes an MBA from the Schulich School of Management at York University, and a B.A in Economics from York. I’m a self employed glass artist based in Schomberg since moving here with my wife Tracy 5 years ago.
My career history has been focused on marketing, business and product development with organizations including Bell Canada, AT&T Canada, Siemens Canada, Coinamatic Canada and Ontario Hydro’s Energy Management Branch.
My approach to Business in King is based upon my fundamental VISION for King Township. Without a vision, we are rudderless.
My Vision is:
A sustainable, responsibly planned and diversified community that fosters growth of, and respect for, our HERITAGE, NATURE and THE ARTS.
I believe these last three assets form the cornerstones of healthy, vibrant communities.
So what does this Vision have to do with Business in King?
A LOT. King has no vision or strategic plan I can see, especially for business.
Without these, King’s next 4 years will be similar to the last: market forces will see us gain, and likely lose, a few marginal industries, mostly low wage, low margin and retail-based.
This laissez faire approach to industry and employment doesn’t promote a sustainable, diversified economy. Nor does it inherently foster the three cornerstones.
It actually reinforces our reliance on residential development to prop up our tax base.
What COULD the next 4 years look like?
With stronger dialogue between Council, staff and our Partners, we can work with senior levels of government to identify and seek funding to attract key wealth-creating industries that foster high wage, sustainable jobs that compliment the cornerstones I speak of AND contribute to a diversified tax base we so desperately need.
One example: Stratford, which is diversifying it’s well known and thriving arts community with a high tech hub based on public-private partnerships and key infrastructure investments.
Stratford can do it – WE can do it. Telecommunications. Software development. Digital media and Entertainment – all are possible.
But our lesson is: market forces alone won’t bring about these benefits. I will work with Council to drive and champion positive change to bring valuable new industry to King.
Another example: TOURISM. Besides diversifying our economic and tax base, it’s key to fostering growth and respect for our heritage, nature and arts.
And the timing couldn’t be better: Ontario’s Tourism Ministry is about to complete a most significant realignment of its structure and resources, placing King within one of 6 new major tourism zones, ours reaching from Durham to the east to Hills of the Headwaters to the West.
By aligning ourselves with this new structure, we can leverage our key cornerstones by increasing their inherent demand and economic value. Sustainably, and responsibly.
I talk of attracting new industry to King, but for those of you who know me, you’ll recognize my efforts to bring business and visitors to our communities. I Co-chair the Schomberg Village Street Gallery, with its 3rd year now in plan. I’m an ASK Board member, fostering heritage, nature and the arts at the volunteer community level across King.
Plus I’m Board Member and King’s representative on York Region Arts Council with a mandate to promote York Region as a destination for the best in arts & entertainment, AND to assist individual and non-profit artists and organizations to market themselves effectively.
I want to continue my dedication to these efforts on Council, for in keeping with my Vision for King, our communities will be more business and visitor friendly.
I’m a proponent of village core revitalization, and as a Main Street Schomberg resident and business owner, I seek to work with Main Street Merchants, the SVA, the Chamber and Council to finally dust off and implement the 2006 Schomberg Village Centre Urban Design Guidelines prepared by an internationally acclaimed urban design firm. We paid for it – we should plan to implement it.
In addition, I hope to salvage the anticipated sale of the old Schomberg arena to repurpose it with community input and support into one of several proposed uses including a dedicated farmer’s market and mill facility, arts & cultural centre or even indoor soccer arena.
Regarding the former I can’t think of a better anchor for Schomberg as a destination that leverages our local food industry. Our financial situation may preclude these alternatives but once this land is sold, we will never again have this opportunity at that prime village location.
I’ll work with you to plan our evolution into a sustainable, attractive and functional destination for local and regional visitors and residents – supporting what I believe you will agree is, a wonderful VISION for King – let’s do it.
I have much more information on my platform and my opinion on key issues for all of King on my blog, greglocke.ca. I encourage you to read it and register for updates.
Please VOTE FOR GREG LOCKE October 25th. Positive Leadership for King.
Thank you.
