Adam Cooper
Age: 50
Occupation: Internet marketing
How long have you lived in Cambridge?
25 years
Do you reside in the ward/city you are running in?
Yes
Why are you running in this election?
I believe that Ward 6 and indeed Cambridge as a whole is in need of a council that understands, above everything else, that they serve the people and businesses of Cambridge. There is a sense of frustration among residents who are feeling disillusioned with a council that minimizes and dismisses their legitimate concerns while forwarding their own personal agendas.
I wish to return trust and honesty to a council that has an unfortunate history of not fulfilling it's promise to act in the best interests of those that they have been tasked with representing. I will bring a fresh 'residents first' culture to city hall along with a greater focus on public consultation, transparency and respect for public opinion.
I have faith that by working together with all levels of government and by listening to the needs of the residents of Cambridge we can all enjoy a safer, better and more prosperous Cambridge.
What qualifies you to represent your ward?
I have lived in Ward 6 for many years and have experienced the ups and downs of this area alongside my fellow Ward 6 residents. I have spent many years familiarizing myself with the people of this area along with their concerns and dreams for a better Cambridge. I share many of those dreams.
I have acquired substantial knowledge of municipal and regional political procedures and processes as well as meeting the many talented and wonderful people that facilitate them. I have made numerous valuable connections within the political community at multiple levels of government, enabling me to be effective and efficient to the benefit of Ward 6 and Cambridge as a whole.
Why should people vote for you?
For five years I have been a successful and prominent advocate for the rights and interests of the people of Cambridge. I have a well documented history of passionately and intelligently delegating at both the regional and municipal levels, proving myself to be a reliable, respected and compassionate advocate for the people of Cambridge.
I have worked together with many community leaders and elected officials to be a strong voice for those that are feeling the significant social and financial effects of existing failing policies. I will continue this journey to tirelessly advocate for more effective solutions to our many issues that directly affect all who live within our beautiful city.
I believe in a safer, better Cambridge for all and will continue my work toward this goal when elected to council.
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of the ward?
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Safety in downtown areas and neighbourhoods
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Drug addiction crisis
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Property crime
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Addiction and mental health related social issues
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Housing crisis and homelessness
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Ensuring responsible development decisions to protect our valuable heritage areas and natural assets.
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Transport truck traffic
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Maintenance of parks, pools and trails
What do you see as the main issues facing residents of Cambridge on a broader scale?
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Safety in downtown areas and neighbourhoods
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Drug addiction crisis
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Addiction & mental health related social issues
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Housing crisis & homelessness
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Property crime
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Residential and commercial break & enter incidents
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Ensuring responsible development decisions to protect our valuable heritage areas and natural assets.
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Residential and commercial property tax increases
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Excessive cost of living
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Lack of recreation options for youth
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Lack of nightlife to attract locals and tourists to our cores.
What is the most important thing you want to see changed in Cambridge?
As we have seen for many years, many current council members have displayed bad faith in their actions. It's time we returned to a council that understands that it is their duty to represent the best interests of it's residents and not special interest groups and developers.
With the public's support, I intend to encourage a new culture at Cambridge City Hall. A culture that treats our residents with respect and courtesy; a council that does not dishonestly circumvent proper procedure and public consultation in order to forward their own personal agendas that do not represent the opinions of the public.
This city belongs to it's residents and it's time we had accountable leadership that understands this. Only then can we build a safer, better Cambridge.
What services need to be improved in Cambridge?
Snow removal: Many seniors and those with physical limitations are struggling every year with dangerous uncleared sidewalks along with the demands of their own sidewalk snow removal duties that they cannot complete themselves. This is exacerbated by the fear of receiving a fine for a task that they are unfairly required by law to complete.
Public transit: I believe public transit should be affordable and accessible to everyone within our community. Serviced areas become appealing to housing developers and businesses while enabling those that rely on public transport to access the commercial zones and essential services that they require. An effective public transit system promotes connected neighbourhoods and a more vibrant city.
Roundabout safety: While I support the use of roundabouts in Cambridge for their efficiency in maintaining traffic flow and minimizing serious collisions we see at traffic lights, we have not done enough to ensure safety for our pedestrians that are required to use crosswalks that have been placed too close to the roundabout. Many are concerned that this design flaw inherent in our twenty roundabouts may cost precious lives in the future unless we see an increased effort to make pedestrians far more visible to drivers.
Is Cambridge growing too fast, just the right amount, or not fast enough?
Growth is inevitable in a city the size of Cambridge and is reflective of the increasing desirability of our beautiful city. We need to ensure that this growth does not surpass our ability to maintain our infrastructure and services as well as our beautiful heritage areas and natural assets.
Yes, we need growth, but it needs to be done responsibly and with consideration for the fiscal implications and other expectations that will inevitably come with such rapid expansion.
What can be done at the local level about the rising cost of housing?
We need to utilize the important role of municipalities in setting zoning policies and approval processes that can aid in facilitating the development of affordable rental housing. By managing the municipal budget effectively, we can minimize property tax increases that indirectly raise housing costs.
Our local government can also play a meaningful role in service delivery, given their ability to understand local needs and convene local agencies dedicated to this issue.
While we can be involved in it's delivery, municipal fiscal capacity is limited so we need to advocate for our provincial and federal governments to provide funding of social housing which, unique to Ontario, currently resides unfairly on the shoulders of our municipalities.
What can be done locally about the homelessness issue?
We need to acknowledge the existence of both financial-based homelessness and that which is the unfortunate result of addiction related issues. The majority of what we see in Cambridge is the result of the latter.
Only when we acknowledge the vast difference between the two can we then apply safe, effective and sustainable solutions to this very disturbing crisis. It is important to our local residents that these solutions are compassionate while still respecting the rights and safety of our local community.
As a municipality with restricted influence over housing solutions, we need to bring all levels of government to the table to fund affordable housing within our community as well as effective detox/rehab facilities and temporary transitional housing in order to give hope and a path to sustainable housing for those currently living on the streets due to substance issues.
We also need to see greater responsibility for affordable housing placed on the shoulders of developers wishing to operate within our city.
How do we make Cambridge an even better city to live in?
I wish to expand on our current efforts to turn our multiple beautiful downtown cores into vibrant, appealing areas for visitors and locals alike. To encourage more 'walkable' downtown areas that are safer, more inclusive, more pedestrian oriented and thus more desirable to large swaths of our population.
The recent closure of two downtown areas to vehicle traffic over the summer has seen an incredible response from our community as these once empty areas became home to live entertainment, singing and dancing, and families enjoying our local food and drink establishments. Most of all, these initiatives brought people together.
I believe in building on successes like this. We have an amazing community so lets bring more of Cambridge together!
I also believe in prioritizing the safety of the residents of Cambridge. Many in our community, especially seniors, no longer feel safe walking our downtown areas and neighbourhoods. Businesses are leaving because of this. Property crime has skyrocketed over the past four years along with increased vandalism and break and enter incidents. This situation is unacceptable and we all deserve better.
Let's work together to make a better Cambridge, a Cambridge for everyone!
To find out more about Adam, visit the following link:
