Gilroy sees transportation as major challenge

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This article was published 05/10/2018 (1700 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cindy Gilroy hopes to continue working on community services, infrastructure and safety if she’s elected for a second term as Daniel McIntyre’s City councillor. 

Gilroy, 44, grew up in the West End and still lives in the neighbourhood with her husband, two daughters and one dog. She was an insurance broker and a school trustee in the Winnipeg School Division prior to running for civic politics in 2010 and getting elected in 2014. 

“I’ve lived here my whole life, I’m choosing to raise my family here,” she said. “This is a wonderful community and I think that I’ve been able to demonstrate that I’ve been able to make the changes that we’ve needed.”

Within the ward, Gilroy points to the redevelopment of the greenspace at Valour Community Centre’s Orioles site as an accomplishment and wants to see further recreation centre upgrades focused on the needs of seniors. 

She said that while infrastructure remains a top concern for residents, construction on major roads like Ellice Avenue and Arlington Street is evidence of progress being made in the ward. 

“Even though I think that’s top of mind for everybody… people are starting to see the real investment in infrastructure,” Gilroy said. 

When it comes to safety, she believes Winnipeg’s methamphetamine crisis needs to be tackled through City partnerships with community service providers in Daniel McIntyre; as well as through a task force made up of all three levels of government.

“It isn’t just about policing, I think we have a health care crisis on our hands — we have addiction, we have poverty, we have mental illness, so we need to address it holistically and look at the different causes and what we can accomplish working together,” she said. 

In the last four years, she has served as a member of the executive policy committee, was appointed acting deputy mayor and has sat on a variety of council committees. Gilroy says collaboration has been her strong suit when it comes to making decisions. 

“You have to be able to work with people that you might not always agree with, but you have to find some common ground because you need their vote, you need their support at the end of the day.”

City-wide, Gilroy says she is focused on helping Winnipeg meet climate change targets, creating more affordable housing, making the city safer for women and improving active and public transportation.

“We’re looking at some major challenges as we grow as a city… and transportation is going to be a key thing,” she said. “In the suburbs when they need a new transit line out there I have to make sure that we’re not losing it here.”