Anna King
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Are you associated with or running as part of a slate? If so, which one?
No, I am independent.
Do you live in the municipality where you are running, and if so, for how long? If not, what is your connection to that community?
Yes, I’ve lived in Victoria 9 years. 1 year in Fairfield. 5 years in Downtown. 3 years in Fernwood.
What is your occupation, and for how long?
Currently, I’m a stay at home mother to 2 preschool-aged children. Previously. I worked in the nonprofit sector for 15 years.
Tell us about your previous elected and/or community experience.
I have been a long time resident of Victoria serving where I can. Living downtown, I was the Hudson building Strata President. After moving to Fernwood, I’m an active member of our block watch program advocating for traffic calming, placemaking, and emergency preparedness. As a natural connector and parent of young children, I’ve also started a community group for toddlers and mothers. I’m also a host member of a community food co-op group that purchases produce from local farmers regularly and distributes food to our members.
Why are you running? What’s your motivation?
I am running for city council to advocate for parents and to create a vibrant Victoria where my children can live and thrive. The current economic, climate, and housing crisis is challenging for families, the young and old alike. The policy we create now will affect generations to come. I envision a diverse Victoria where we can each grow in compassion and neighbourliness. I want to create a Victoria where all can thrive no matter race, age, stage, gender, orientation, or ability.
What are your top three issues?
Diverse and affordable housing connects many issues from homelessness to family doctors. Building more housing overall vacates rental housing for those who are able to afford to buy allowing vacancy to increase. Partnering with the provincial and federal government to build more affordable housing is necessary, too.
When public transit and cycling networks are safe and efficient, the need to maintain a private vehicle is lessened, decreasing the cost of living. Further, exploring a rapid transit will add convenience for residents.
Climate action needs to continue. Climate actions may include: preserving trees, expanding the recycling program, daylighting ancient streams, walkable urban centres and more.
What’s your vision for your community in 25 years?
In 25 years, Victoria will have a vibrant downtown with locals and tourists enjoying the waterfront from Dallas Rd to Rock Bay. Town homes will be prevalent in all neighbourhoods and children will be playing near their homes. Parks will be full of seniors exercising, toddlers in swings, and teens playing basketball. Students will be have housing on campus and those once homeless will be in a rental suite or supportive recovery homes throughout the city.
Recreation and libraries will be within walking distance for all to maintain a happy, healthy life. Immigrants will enrichen our community and broaden our perspectives. The arts will be vibrant because artisans will be have live-work studios and housing where imagination and collaboration abound.
What’s one “big idea” you have for your community?
Victoria buried natural creeks when the city was built long ago. As storms and droughts increase with climate change, this can lead to urban flooding and local water scarcity.
Creating vegetated ditches along roadways, parking lots, and in private property can help retain rainwater into our ground water system. Permeable pavement that allows water to infiltrate, and decreasing requirements for parking lots and driveways — which also support active transportation, will help water security. Groundwater can naturally hydrate the surrounding plantlife and increase resistance to wildfire.
The city can adopt a historical ecology map to consult for future development projects. That way, when developers propose a new building on a site where a hidden stream flows, there could be a recommendation to bring it back up to the surface, a strategy called daylighting.
