Calm and relaxed Stintz victorious in Ward 16
[attach]2595[/attach]In the political mosh pit of Ward 16, incumbent Karen Stintz proved that clashes over urban development were not top of mind come election day.
Winning with 60.7 percent of the vote as of 10:30 p.m., Stintz was visibly relieved when it was announced not 10 minutes after 8 p.m. she was heading back to City Hall for another four years.
With husband Daryll Parisien and son Jackson by her side – daughter Hailey was under the weather – Stintz basked in the lounge-lit, contemporary jazz playing Spacco Restaurant with friends.
As with the smooth vocals of singers, she was calm and relaxed.
“I’m pleased that Ward 16 chose me to represent them again and in an election of change it is very rewarding,” she told the Town Crier.
Stintz acknowledged there were some angered after she supported two Riocan developments in the riding: First a seniors residence at Avenue Road and Willowbank Boulevard, second the Yonge and Eglinton square redesign.
“Development is a challenge, there’s no question,” she said. “But I think the results are that the community is willing to work with the framework that we have to get the best results we can.”
First elected in 2003, Stintz unseated incumbent Anne Johnston by over 2,000 votes for the very same reason: ratepayer groups were upset with Johnston’s decision to support the Minto Midtown development.
[attach]2596[/attach]Just south of the victory party, Mills was comfortable, smoking a cigarette outside the Pickle Barrel, watching the trail of smoke vanish into the Toronto night.
He was reticent to share is initial reaction, but was curious to see the numbers from each poll after the final tally.
“I’ve looked the results many times over the last two elections,” he said. “The fun part is to look at it in detail and say, ‘What is it this time?’”
Mills shared his number one priority in confidence.
“My plans are the same as they’ve always been, I’m going to go to sleep,” he said, adding he was upset with media because they focused too much on the mayoral race.
“They only have one vote,” he said. “Whoever is going to be mayor will have to take counsel of his council.”
However, he said he is going to call to attention development in Eglinton-Lawrence.
Karen Stintz gets to represent our ward for another four years and the reason is simple 60% of Ward 16 told the rest of the Ward to move along.
The silent majority, who understands the whole issues and can see through the propagandized arguments of the naysayers have spoken.
Imagine the public square at Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. the naysayers say the mean old developers want to steal it away from the community.
The truth is that the community never own it and it was the developer let the community use it until they needed to develop it later and later has come.
A Councillor has to represent the community in the ward both residential and business in the fairest way possible and Karen Stintz has done that and that is why she got re-elected.
Congrats to Karen Stintz. Ward 16 has chosen their local councillor for the next four years. Regardless of how you feel about the four Councillor candidates, we are united in our devotion to Ward 16. Thank you all for voting.
Michael Coll
Ward 16 Candidate