As your Mayor, I will work with Council, City staff and community partners to:

• Identify the highest-priority components of the Sarnia Downtown Waterfront Master Plan.
• Confirm costs, funding options and long-term maintenance requirements.
• Establish a realistic, phased development schedule.
• Improve public access, trails, gathering places and recreational opportunities.
• Protect the waterfront's natural features and celebrate its unique public character.
• Explore compatible amenities that attract people to spend more time at the waterfront.
• Pursue provincial, federal, private-sector and community funding.
• Report publicly on implementation progress, costs and next steps.

We cannot complete every waterfront project at once. We can set priorities and bring them to life through affordable phases, creating visible progress for residents and visitors. Other major City plans can follow a similar phased approach.

As Mayor, I will work with Council, City staff, businesses, property owners, residents, police, the County of Lambton and community partners to:

• Establish clear priorities for Downtown and Mitton Village as pilot Destination Hubs.
• Build on the work of the Mitton Village Community Development Advisory Committee and Downtown improvement programs.
• Develop Mitton Village as a midtown destination with its own identity and character.
• Build on Downtown's history and riverfront location to strengthen its identity and character.
• Support coordinated marketing, events and wayfinding that attract residents and visitors.
• Encourage public art, pop-ups, gathering places and activities that reflect and enhance each area.
• Pursue provincial, federal, private-sector and community funding.
• Address recurring concerns involving safety, cleanliness, lighting and property improvements.
• Support appropriate residential, commercial and mixed-use development.
• Improve connections among Mitton Village, Downtown and adjacent neighbourhoods.
• Coordinate City construction, improvements and maintenance to reduce disruption.
• Define measures, track progress and report results.

City Hall cannot determine which businesses open or guarantee their success. It can help create safe, welcoming and distinctive areas where businesses, neighbourhoods and investment can grow.

As your Mayor, I will work with Council, City staff, residents and community partners to:

• Identify neighbourhood priorities through direct local engagement.
• Support practical improvements such as seating, lighting, landscaping and walkways.
• Improve access to parks, trails, recreation and community gathering places.
• Encourage neighbourhood events, pop-ups and initiatives that bring people together.
• Address inconsistent City maintenance across neighbourhoods.
• Review accessibility and safety needs for residents of different ages and abilities.
• Consider neighbourhood needs in housing, transportation and infrastructure decisions.

Not every improvement requires a major capital project. Smaller, well-planned changes developed with residents and community organizations can make neighbourhoods safer, more welcoming and better connected.

As your Mayor, I will work with Council and City administration to:

• Assess the condition, accessibility and use of existing parks, trails and recreational assets.
• Ensure clear maintenance and facility-renewal priorities are in place.
• Address public safety and accessibility concerns promptly.
• Improve and expand trail and active-transportation connections where practical.
• Ensure public washrooms and other basic amenities are properly maintained.
• Consider the needs of youth, families, seniors and people with disabilities.
• Consult users and residents before making major changes to community facilities or public spaces.
• Clearly identify the full costs of building, operating and maintaining new amenities at the outset.
• Ensure proposed projects complement existing facilities and fit the site's long-term plan.
• Pursue grants and partnerships to maximize the value of municipal investment.

Residents should be able to see how priorities are set, what work is planned and when it is expected to be completed. The City should provide regular progress updates on major improvements.

As your Mayor, I will work with Council and City administration to:

• Establish clear maintenance standards for playing fields and user areas, trails, landscaping, litter collection and other visible public spaces.
• Address recurring maintenance concerns before they become larger and more costly.
• Improve coordination of roadside, median, sidewalk, park and public-space maintenance.
• Prioritize durable, long-term repairs over repeated low-cost temporary fixes.
• Use temporary repairs when immediate safety requires them and follow with permanent repairs where needed.
• Consider durability, appearance, accessibility and safety when repairing public assets.
• Report publicly on maintenance priorities and progress.
• Work with businesses, neighbourhoods and community groups on beautification initiatives.

Safety and cleanliness also require cooperation among City Hall, the Sarnia Police Service, the County of Lambton, social-service agencies and community organizations. As your Mayor, I will work with these partners to:

• Respond to recurring concerns about safety, cleanliness and property maintenance.
• Improve lighting, visibility and environmental design where appropriate.
• Support efforts to connect vulnerable residents with outreach, shelter, health and housing services.
• Help keep parks and public spaces available for their intended community uses.
• Address illegal activity and unsafe behaviour while treating people with dignity.
• Establish clear responsibilities and report on progress.

Compassion, accountability and civic pride must guide this work. Residents should feel safe in public spaces, businesses should be able to operate, and the City should maintain its lands to the same standard it expects from other property owners.

1. Does the project address a demonstrated community need?
2. Will it be accessible and provide broad public benefit?
3. Does it complement existing facilities and fit Sarnia’s long-term plans?
4. Have grants, partnerships and community contributions been explored?
5. Can taxpayers afford both the initial and long-term costs?

Community pride grows when the City takes care of what it has, invests thoughtfully in what it needs and follows through on the priorities it sets.

• Identify the highest-priority components of the Sarnia Downtown Waterfront Master Plan.
• Confirm costs, funding options and long-term maintenance requirements.
• Establish a realistic, phased development schedule.
• Coordinate discussions with Downtown and Mitton Village partners to set pilot Destination Hub priorities.
• Establish a clearer process for identifying and addressing neighbourhood concerns.
• A report on maintenance, safety and accessibility priorities in parks, trails and public spaces.
• A review of City maintenance standards and practices, including how temporary repairs are tracked through to permanent solutions.
• Clear responsibilities and measures for addressing recurring safety and cleanliness concerns.
• Public reporting on City improvements, work underway and expected completion dates.

• Visible progress on affordable, high-priority waterfront improvements.
• A safer, cleaner and more vibrant Downtown recognized as a Destination Hub.
• Mitton Village recognized and promoted as a distinctive midtown Destination Hub.
• Clear guidance on how other community areas could become Destination Hubs.
• Stronger communication and cooperation with businesses and community partners.
• Practical improvements in neighbourhoods across the city.
• Parks, trails and public spaces supported by improved maintenance and long-term planning.
• Well-planned new recreation opportunities supported by identified need and funding.
• Cleaner public spaces and better-maintained sidewalks, roads and infrastructure.
• Faster, more efficient responses to safety and cleanliness concerns.
• Regular public reports that allow residents to track investments and improvements to city life.

My commitment as your Mayor is to help build a city where people feel safe, connected and proud of where they live. That means caring for the places we have, making responsible improvements and additions, and working with residents and community partners to turn plans into visible progress.