Posted by Greg Locke on Oct 28, 2010 in Get Engaged!, Press | 0 comments
REPRINTED FROM THE KING SENTINEL, October 27, 2010
King Township residents and members of council were among the roughly 100 people at Queen’s Park Thursday at a rally to fight to help save Ontario’s waters.
Earthroots, Council of Canadians and Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) Coalition organized the rally to urge the government to better manage, conserve and protect Ontario’s water resources.
The rally was centered around water conservation in general, but focused on the Oak Ridges Moraine to highlight some of the problems being faced in Ontario.
Earthroots Campaigner Josh Garfinkel said a strong message needs to be sent out to the government that they must better manage public water resources.
A carrot mascot, Josh Garfinkel, Senior Campaigner for Earthroots, Audrey Bankley, outreach coordinator of Earthroots, Josh Kohler, Southern Ontario campaigner of Earthroots, Brenda Bakers, Markham Municipal Councillor Erin Shapero and Debbie Crandall of STORM (Save the Oak Ridges Moraine) were also at the rally.
“The effects of the global water crisis in Ontario are being felt,” he said.
Debbie Schaefer, member of Concerned Citizens of King Township and Ward 5 council candidate, said King Township was represented at this meeting because of the plans by the Ontario Power Authority to build a 393 MW gas fired peaker generator in Ansnorveldt.
“The generator site is in the Lake Simcoe watershed and the site is in the marsh,” Schaefer stated in an e-mail. “The 17-kilometre pipeline to service the generator will be cut through the Oak Ridges Moraine across and under water paths.”
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Posted by Greg Locke on Oct 22, 2010 in Greg in the Community, Press | 1 comment
I’m a volunteer Board Member and Grants Committee Chair of York Region Arts Council. I’m King Township and Arts Society King’s representative.
Since last Fall’s Chairman’s Gala, sponsored by York Region Chair Bill Fisch that raised $250,000 for the arts in York, I’d been working to design, launch, administer and adjudicate the awarding of Chair Fisch’s $125,000 donation (1/2 of the gala proceeds) to this much needed programme for the arts in York.
I’m happy and proud that last Monday, October 18th we publicly announced all award recipients in all three grant categories (see reprint of Theresa Latchford’s article covering the event below).
I’M ESPECIALLY PROUD that King’s Humber River Shakespeare Company received a $4,000 marketing grant to help it grow and prosper. Congratulations HRSC!
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Posted by Greg Locke on May 28, 2010 in Press | 1 comment
This article and graphic is courtesy The Aurora Banner.
Greg Locke was interviewed for this article (excerpt below with full article following).
In King Township, blogging is also poised to be a big deal in the fall election; just ask Ward 4 council candidate Greg Locke.
His greglocke.ca website boasts a blog, contact information as well as links to his Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
Social media is a useful tool, he said, and one that allows him to keep the public informed about his stance on various matters.
“I’m fortunate, as a municipal candidate, to have a new media background on top of my career marketing experience,” Mr. Locke said.
“(It has) allowed me to construct my own campaign blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn tools, but, most importantly, it’s really me talking and writing, not a back-room campaign team that is massaging every message. I want to come across as ‘the real deal’ and I mean this quite honestly and frankly. Social media helps me do this very effectively.”
And such tools aren’t merely a campaign vehicle, Mr. Locke insists, noting he plans to keep the conversation going if he’s elected to ensure his constituents continue to get the open and transparent representation for which they voted.
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Posted by Greg Locke on May 27, 2010 in Press | 0 comments
Greg is a Board member of York Region Arts Council, representing Arts Society King.
Greg also Chairs YRAC’s Grants Committee. Along with several valuable announcements made that evening to support York Region’s arts communities, Greg released details of a new $125,000 arts grant programme.
For detailed programme application information and downloadable forms (as well as the YRAC membership application), please go to the YorkScene website and click at the page bottom on “Download Grant and Member Applications“.
The following press release includes details of the May 13th, 2010 announcements at the Aurora Cultural Centre.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2010
York Region Arts Council announces region-wide Grant Program
The York Region Arts Council (YRAC) announced the first ever region-wide Arts & Culture Grant Program at a special event held this past Thursday night, at the Aurora Cultural Centre. Artists and nonprofit arts organizations based in York Region can now apply for a grant to assist with their marketing activities, while artists can also apply for an education grant.
Greg Locke, Chair of the YRAC Grant Committee indicated that successful applicants will receive a minimum grant of $2,500 to maximum of $10,000. “The grant program has been made possible by the funds raised at the October 2009 Chairman Dinner for the Arts, supported by Regional Chairman & CEO Bill Fisch. This is an extraordinary step forward for the arts community in York Region and we are very excited to be launching this initiative. We sincerely thank Chairman Bill Fisch and Ian Proudfoot, Publisher of the York Region Media Group (who helped organized the October 2009 gala) for making this grant program possible,” exclaimed Locke.
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Posted by Greg Locke on Mar 9, 2010 in Get Engaged!, Press | 2 comments
I HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING FOR 6 MONTHS.
I launched my campaign in April, 2010 – and I was the first non-incumbent to do so (mayoralty candidates included).
I re-read the Weekly’s coverage of this event (see reprint below) and I’m impressed at how steadfast my platform has been. I could re-release it today and not change a word.
My platform and the issues of relevance to Ward 4 AND King voters are just as relevant now as they were last Spring.
So why don’t we suspend recent history, and pretend I’m launching my campaign today? LET’S. Change the date on this article to October from April.
You will find me a refreshing alternative to the status quo.
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Posted by Greg Locke on Mar 9, 2010 in Press | 0 comments
Monday, April 19, 2010 FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greg Locke to run for King Township Council
Positive Leadership for Ward 4
SCHOMBERG, ON – Schomberg artist, preservation activist and community volunteer Greg Locke today announces his campaign to run for King Township Council – Ward 4 (Lloydtown, Pottageville, Schomberg).
Greg speaks of his desire to represent Ward 4:
“I want to work for the betterment of King Township. This morning I formally registered to run in Ward 4.
The next decade is critical to how King will look, feel and function.
I’m passionate about our unique and distinctive communities and lifestyle.
I see both opportunities and challenges in maintaining and enhancing these in the coming years.
The GTA is growing significantly, and we face pressures from various sources to follow suit.
I have a lot to bring to this challenge – experience, dedication, and vision for Ward 4 and King.”
Asked what challenges he sees, Greg states:
“King is under increasing financial pressure:
Long term capital projects are being committed to with a high reliance on debt issuance, for which King has been denied an increase in its statutory limit.
Valuable Township assets, including the old Schomberg arena, are planned for liquidation. Before such drastic acts, I believe Council should carefully consider re-purposing such facilities, to the benefit of our communities.
Taxpayers have not been given the full story here.
On top of this, the planning tools we have used for decades to guide growth are dull and not ideally suited to the challenges facing us.
We need to raise the bar for new residential & commercial development.
For these reasons and more, I fear for King because we need committed, qualified and unified leadership to address these weaknesses, minimize threats to our communities and lifestyle, and maximize our inherent strengths.
I truly hope for King because with positive leadership we can realize opportunities to increase our quality of life in sustainable, environmentally and fiscally responsible ways.”
What do you mean by, “Positive Leadership”?
“It’s three things to me that form my approach to working with Council:
Represent a positive, strong, informed voice for Ward 4.
Contribute positively to the unity, quality and commitment of Council.
Promote a positive longer-term vision for Ward 4 and King that balances responsible economic growth & fiscal prudence with preservation and sustainable growth of King’s natural, heritage and artistic assets.
In my opinion, this is the kind of leadership required right NOW – positive and active.
I know I can make a positive difference here.”
Where can people learn more about your approach to leadership and campaign platform?
“First, I’ll be visiting every household in Ward 4 in the coming days and weeks – I want input and ideas. If I miss anyone knocking on their door, please telephone or email me, and I’ll be happy to come by again.
Second, I’ve created an interactive blog website to help me do this at www.greglocke.ca I describe my background and community interests in detail, plus my key platform elements.
Most importantly, I want to alert voters to my comment feature: I want VOTERS to tell ME what they want out of their next municipal representative in King.
I’d like to know whether what I have to say and stand for, means something to them – and if not – what I should do differently.
Whether it’s about the planned sale of the “old” Schomberg arena, future intensification in their village, King’s growing debt commitments, preserving natural and heritage features in King, bylaw enforcement, a plan for sustainable economic development, Main Street revitalization in Schomberg, the Holland Marsh peaker plant, the gas pipeline to fuel it from Pottageville, stimulating the arts in King, and much more – I talk about it. But WE need to talk about these important issues and ideas – NOW – so it can shape YOUR next Council.
Please use the comment feature. They’ll see other engaged King and Ward 4 residents commenting too – they’ll even be debating ideas with each other.
It’s time for ideas and debate about the next 10 years in King, and I have the ability to help facilitate that. I offer this because we need fresh ideas AND because I believe in full transparency between your Council and Council members - a higher standard I want participate in.”
Having moved to Schomberg from Toronto 4 years ago, Greg is a long-time GTA citizen. He was born and raised in Scarborough and he has called Markham and Toronto home in the past. He studied economics at York University and received a Master of Business Administration degree in 1989. His career experience crosses 20 years, including energy conservation programming with Ontario Hydro; global communications with AT&T Canada; industrial products with Siemens Canada; consumer product development with Coinamatic Canada; and online communications with Bell Canada.
Greg is active in the King community: He owns and operates Gotham Glassworks custom fused and stained art glass studio, in a restored heritage barn on his Schomberg property. He serves on the boards of Arts Society King (co-founder and Chair of ASK’s annual Schomberg Village Street Gallery in September) and York Region Arts Council as King Township’s representative and Grants Committee Chair. Greg also serves and assists various other community groups in King including the Schomberg Village Association, Concerned Citizens for King Township, the Dufferin Marsh Committee, the Schomberg Horticultural Society, King Blooms and Kettleby Fair.
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