Colle the Younger takes Ward 15 seat

[attach]2658[/attach]Surrounded by friends, family, supporters and volunteers, [url=http://www.mytowncrier.ca/colle-follows-in-mpp-fathers-political-footsteps.html]Josh Colle[/url] vowed to start working for the residents of Ward 15 right away.

During his victory speech, he asked campaign volunteers to be at his headquarters early Oct. 26 to start taking down his campaign signs, while he gets ready to start working towards solving issues in his ward.

“I know that they are ready for that work and that is the type of people that Ward 15 is made up of,” said Colle, who had 6,668 votes, over 40 percent of the total, cast in his favour.

While Colle is working to make Ward 15 a better place to live, runner-up Rob Davis visited his masseuse to work out the kinks in his legs and feet, he jokingly told the Town Crier.

Colle, a former Catholic school board trustee, has several things to do when he takes office, but one of the first items on his list is bringing city hall back to the community.

“The first thing I am going to do is open up the doors to city hall because I think that is what the people want,” he said. “I am going to be present in the community. I am going to be working with the community and work with them on the issues they have identified in the election.”

During his acceptance speech at California Sandwiches on Dufferin Street, Colle told supporters, “People want a fresh approach and I know I will bring that.”

Colle takes over a ward that was vacated by the retirement of [url=http://www.mytowncrier.ca/fighting-with-fun.html]Howard Moscoe[/url]. One of the top issues during the election was the [url=http://www.mytowncrier.ca/rally-opposes-lawrence-heights-project.html]Lawrence Heights revitalization plan[/url]. While Colle didn’t want to get into specifics on the issue, he mentioned that it was another priority.

“I look forward meeting with various stakeholders on the issue,” he said.

His opponent, Davis, was pleased to see the issue became a focal point of the campaign.

“I was really happy about the way in which people supported my stand on Lawrence Heights,” he said. “I led the charge, in many respects, and eventually all of the candidates agreeing that the Lawrence Heights revitalization plan was flawed.”

Ward 15 was one of the more closely contested races and both candidates were worn out trying to get last minute votes on Oct. 25.

“Today has been a wild day,” said Colle. “It has been the ups and downs of a long campaign, so we worked right to the end and if you look around you can see the amount of support this campaign got over the last few months.”

After the campaigning was finished, Colle took an hour to unwind.

“I went home to spend some time with my boys and my wife to see the results come in,” he said as a throng of media and supporters crowded around him as a 96-inch television screen flashed the results of the election on the screen.

Both candidates acknowledged the campaign shift that occurred when Moscoe decided to drop out.

[attach]2659[/attach]“When I started the race it was a campaign against Howard Moscoe, who then ducked out in September, so it changed the dynamic of the campaign in that people had to make a choice between seven new people as opposed to the alternative of the incumbent,” said Davis. “So the dynamic shifted dramatically and the end result is they decided to chose someone with some different ideas.”

While Davis cautions Colle his victory comes with some great responsibility, he is confident he will govern the ward for everyone in the community.

Colle’s uncle, Rob, echoes Davis’ comments.

“He is a person who cares about the area and he is going to improve this community for everyone who lives here,” he said.