ThoroldToday will be profiling every candidate in the upcoming municipal and school board elections on Oct. 24. Today: Tim O'Hare.
When Tim O’Hare, 63, moved to Thorold four years ago he immediately fell in love.
“I love the area, I love the history, and I love the people,” O’Hare tells ThoroldToday. “I feel so welcome. I’m a part of Thorold and I’m here to stay and make it better.”
The vision O’Hare has for Thorold is one of progress and inclusion.
“We can dream of a Thorold with an amazing transportation system, and affordable housing for seniors and young families,” he says. “We can dream about a safe and healthy city. This is what we want but we have to act and we have to invest ideas and time to get this done. These are not dreams for me, these are goals.”
O’Hare is no stranger to fighting for his community. He started an action group together with his neighbours to oppose a proposed development on Ormond Street, that according to him did not fit the neighbourhood.
“I’m pro-development,” he says. “We have to be, look at the rate that Thorold is growing. We need housing, infrastructure, commercial complexes. We just have to make sure we do it right. The question is not whether to build, but what to build, where to build and how to build.”
If elected, O’Hare would like to make sure downtown Thorold is further developed in a responsible manner.
“The intensification should be focused in the downtown area because we’re cutting into our farm land and green space at an unsustainable rate,” O’Hare says. “Downtown development has to be appropriate in size, in quality, in design, as well as respectful of our established neighbourhoods and rich heritage. We have a beautiful city that has so much history and heritage. We don’t want to claw away at that section of it.”
Another important issue for O’Hare is the environment.
“Thorold has too little green space and an insufficient tree canopy,” he says. “We need to do our part to offset the climate crisis. We need to protect Thorold’s mature tree growth wherever possible. It should be a given that for any new development, to contribute their part to offset the climate crisis they need to make sure they’re adding sufficient green spaces, sufficient tree canopy for future generations.”
O’Hare would also like to see more initiative to bring jobs to the city, and he would like to see the city create more connection between the different neighbourhoods in Thorold.
Another important issue on his agenda is affordable housing.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear seniors having to move out of Thorold because they can’t find affordable housing,” O’Hare says. “We’ve been addressing student residences a long time and we haven’t been addressing the other end of the spectrum: the young families and the seniors. This is a very tough topic that we’re going to have to discuss and see if we can find a resolution.”
To kick off his campaign, O’Hare has gone out into the community to talk to residents to hear what issues they would like to see improved.
“I’m meeting so many wonderful people, listening to their concerns and introducing myself and earning some support,” says O'Hare. “My approach is to listen and to maybe consult and come up with ideas. If something needs a resolution I’m very good at digging deeper or getting to the bottom of things and making clear and concise decisions.”
O’Hare, who is a retired teacher, says he has a lot to offer as a city councillor.
“I am retired now so I have the time, I have the energy, and I have the passion," he says. "I believe that I would be a very significant voice of reason at council. I work well with other people. I will listen to [residents], I will work hard, and I will ensure that council is successful and continues to make our city great."
