Ron Chapman loves Airdrie. He arrived here in 1978 to visit his brother for two weeks, but when he was given the opportunity to stay, he jumped at the chance. It was a big move for the teenager to relocate to a town of just 2500 people (which was Airdrie’s population at the time), but he’s never regretted growing up alongside the town. Chapman’s roots, family, and business interests are here, so it’s not a surprise that he’s very invested in helping Airdrie move forward.
“After serving 11 years on council, there are still a lot of projects I want to see through to completion. We have always had a very cohesive council that got a lot of things done, but there is more work ahead,” says Chapman.
He’s always been interested in municipal politics. “The most impact a person can have is working for other people in their own community,” Chapman notes. “I’ve always been involved in the community and take pride in being a part of it.”
Some of the top items on his platform are:
- Community infrastructure: remaining on top of this as Airdrie continues to grow rapidly is important.
- Community safety: Airdrie is one of the safest places to live in the province and Chapman hopes to keep it that way. A goal is to improve paramedic response times and availability, and not have ambulance units leaving Airdrie at crucial times.
- Affordable rental housing: including studio units. While affordable housing as a whole is a pressing issue, Chapman does not want renters to be left out of the conversation, nor those (like students) that could benefit from having studio units available.
Chapman says a long-range goal for the region should be, “Connectivity while maintaining identity. Airdrie will never be Calgary – and as far as I’m concerned, we don’t want to be Calgary – but we must still connect and work together in positive ways.”
He continues, “We are the fifth largest city in the province of Alberta, but we still have a small town feel. We are also one of the safest communities in the province according to a recent resident satisfaction survey. The number of volunteers we have in Airdrie is amazing. They want to help where they can. If re-elected, I’m looking forward to helping Airdrie continue with its plans for smart growth. I am confident the council will always make the decisions that are best for the community.
If Chapman could tell voters one thing it would be this, “Make sure you get out and vote! A lot of people over the years have sacrificed a lot to make sure everyone has the right to vote. During this time of COVID we don’t need all these protests. We need to pull together. We are all doing the best we can, and we are all in this together. We really are.”
Chapman is happy to acknowledge: “The City of Airdrie in on the traditional territory of Treaty 7 and that the City of Airdrie is part of the Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.”
Learn more on about Chapman on his Re-elect Ron website, where you will also find more details about his platform, his life’s story, and intensive council board history. You can also contact him with your questions or to request a lawn sign. His site also includes a list of meet-and-greet and election events.
