Entrepreneur running for office

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This article was published 03/10/2018 (2777 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wally Welechenko is running for city council for Transcona in the Oct. 24 civic election.

While Welechenko, 51, was born in Kenora, Ont., he moved to the Park City at the age of four and has been here ever since.

“Transcona’s a great place to live,” said Welechenko, a father of two adult daughters, who recently became a grandfather for the first time. “I’m glad I grew up here and my kids live here. It just needs maintenance, like anywhere.”

An entrepreneur, Welechenko said he would bring a “business perspective” to City Hall if elected to council.

“When it comes to running a city, as soon as the city starts taking money from people, you need to look at it from a business perspective. You have to cater to what works best in what area. You have to look at how to make the machine work most efficiently.”

Welechenko said that the City’s approach to maintaining its roads was “embarrassing.”

“I would like to see something done in that aspect. You might not have more money to spend, but maybe we can spend it more wisely.”

He also would like to see the City improve its approach to rapid transit and crime.

“The system isn’t working,” he said. “We’ve all known people who’ve had their cars broken into, things stolen from their property, stuff like that.”

Welechenko drew on his experience teaching Ukrainian dance with the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble to offer some alternatives for potentially wayward youth.

“I believe if you can put a little wind in a person’s sails, it can go a long way,” Welechenko said. “You just give that little bit of self-confidence, and it goes a long way. Not just kids, people in general.”Overall, Welechenko believes the City of Winnipeg is moving in a good direction. If elected, he said he would work to address the concerns of Transcona’s citizens, while keeping the City on track.

“It takes a lot of people to make the machine work,” he said. “You’re never going to please everybody, but that’s just how it’s going to be.”

Sheldon Birnie
Community Journalist

Sheldon Birnie is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. Email him at sheldon.birnie@freepress.mb.ca or call him at 204-697-7112

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