ThoroldToday will be profiling every candidate in the upcoming municipal and school board elections on Oct. 24. Up next: Rachael Haynes.
Rachael Haynes, 40, wants to see Thorold through its growing pains.
“I believe that Thorold has a bit of an identity crisis right now,” Haynes says, in an interview with ThoroldToday. “We have a lot of people who have lived in Thorold for a long time that are looking for that small town feel, but we also have a community that is growing.”
Haynes points to the things that have disappeared from Thorold.
“Our paper mill, the Canal Bank Shuffle, the LCBO, there are a lot of things that just aren’t in Thorold anymore,” she says. “What do we say Thorold is about when so many things have left? I want to bring that discussion to voters of what we make Thorold in the next four years.”
As a member of eco-activist group ‘Friends of the Richmond Street Forest,’ Haynes has been heavily involved with the efforts to restore the bulldozed frog pond on the corner of Decew Road and Richmond Street.
“A big part of my decision to run was the frog pond,” says Haynes. “It often felt difficult to get information from the city and to figure out what happened in the first place. I just thought after that experience, it’s just a lot easier to be at the table in the first place rather than begging to be there.”
If elected, Haynes hopes to further advocate for environmental issues in Thorold.
“I would like to look into how is Thorold mapped right now,” Haynes says. “Our mapping is behind and it kind of leaves Thorold as a blank slate that allows developers to get away with a lot more than they would in other cities.”
Haynes says her experience as an elementary school teacher in Thorold will be a real boon as a councillor.
“Working in a school really lets you work in diverse communities,” she says. “I think it’s just a great experience, not only learning who your students are but your families and your community. Different school experiences have made me see some of the different wants and needs. I want to represent everyone in Thorold as best I can.”
Haynes also has a background in grant writing for arts and culture. She served on the Niagara Investment in Culture Committee to accept grants and allocate money to community groups.
“In City Hall we’re either not writing those grants correctly or we don’t know where to look for them,” she says. “There’s money out there at many different levels that we could be using to bolster our own events and festivals and just rebuilding that community spirit.”
Haynes is from St. Catharines but moved to Thorold in 2009.
“What we really liked about Thorold is that it’s a community that is very proud of its past,” Haynes says. “It’s a community that’s always looking to help each other out. We’ve always found Thorold to be very warm and friendly. I really want to see that continue. COVID has definitely put a hamper on us feeling connected as a community. Now we can think about what events we can get going again, what sort of recreation to really bring the community together.”
Haynes hopes to bring more balance to city council.
“I think there needs to be a balance of experience and new ideas,” she says. “I would really like to see our new council have a little bit more variety in our expertise.”
Ultimately, Haynes wants to guide Thorold into the future.
“We need to find a way to bring Thorold back on the map of Niagara,” says Haynes. “With everything that we’ve lost in our city over the past number of years, we really need a way to stand out. Whether it’s protecting our natural green spaces and looking into eco-tourism, whether it’s bringing back our festivals and introducing new ones, to bringing in more businesses and more people visiting Thorold. There needs to be more balance and I really want to bring that balance to council.“
