Coquitlam mayoral candidates talk heritage in Maillardville

History, transparency, and fiscal responsibility were among the topics discussed during an all-candidates meeting at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Laval Square on Saturday.

While the debate was wide-ranging, mayoral candidates Craig Hodge, Madhavee Inamdar, and Trish Mandewo were each asked about preserving Maillardville’s heritage.

“Coquitlam exists today because of Maillardville,” Hodge told the crowd, noting the need to balance growth with cultural preservation.

“I think we need to integrate French language into the everyday life of Maillardville and that includes into our commercial activities, our retail activities, and into our educational institutions.”

Hodge also suggested the city could support a walkable neighbourhood/cultural hub around Adair Avenue.

The city needs a unique vision for Maillardville, said Inamdar.

“We cannot compare the neighbourhoods of Maillardville with Burke Mountain, with Burquitlam. I think we need to have a totally different plan,” she said, cautioning against any plan “pushed by the developers.”

For Mandewo, the question was evidence of a problem.

“To me, it shows that we are failing,” she said.

The next council should work with a roundtable to establish a strategy for Maillardville, Mandewo said, emphasizing the need to protect the neighbourhood’s heritage.

“Four years from now, we should not be asking the same question. We should be saying: ‘What are we celebrating that we have done?’” Mandewo said.

Discussing fiscal responsibility, Mandewo explained the importance of striking a balance between picking projects for now and for later.

“As a mayor, I would make sure that we’re asking the right questions. I would make sure that we’re not being overzealous,” she said, explaining that if council approves too many initiatives a tax increase becomes inevitable.

Mandewo listed fiscal responsibility as her top priority and promised to keep taxes low, to: “control the spending so that we can control the taxes.”

To bring more transparency to city hall, Inamdar described an online city dashboard listing every project and program while providing costs, timelines, and updates.

“If I am elected as the mayor, I would create that in the first 100 to 200 days,” she said.

While every proposal comes with projected capital and operating costs, Hodge emphasized the need to consider replacement costs.

“If it’s going to be here for 20 years, then we need to know what the cost is going to be to replace it in 20 years,” he said.

Inamdar talked about the importance of “integrity and accountability” for public officials, pledging not to take “a single penny” in campaign contributions from developers.

Positioning herself as a change candidate, Inamdar talked about the need to offer housing choices to young residents and providing options for seniors.

Discussing her eight years on council, Mandewo said the mayor never called to try to persuade her to vote a certain way. If elected mayor, Mandewo said she would ensure there would be no lobbying behind the scenes while making sure everyone on council was free to disagree.

“The chair of the board creates that culture,” she said.

Noting her background in science and as Union of B.C. Municipalities president, Mandewo said she had the critical thinking skills and governance experience to be mayor.

One of the best traits of Coquitlam council is the independence of elected officials, Hodge said.

“We are so fortunate in Coquitlam that we don’t have parties and we don’t have slates,” he said. “Having differences of opinions helps us make better decisions.”

In his closing statement, Hodge noted his years of experience on Coquitlam council and as a Coquitlam resident.

As the city changes, it’s critical the mayor manages that change, he said.

“That means focusing on keeping Coquitlam affordable, protecting quality of life, and yes, that means protecting our French heritage here in Maillardville.”

Mayor Richard Stewart is stepping down at the end of this term.

The election is scheduled for Oct. 17.