After two terms with almost all of the same councillors, Bradford West Gwillimbury is welcoming some new faces to the council table.
Newcomers Cheraldean Duhaney for Ward 1, Ben Verkaik for Ward 3, Joseph Giordano for Ward 4, and Nickolas Harper for Ward 6 will join council veterans Ward 2 Coun. Jonathan Scott, Ward 5 Coun. Peter Ferragine and Ward 7 Coun. Peter Dykie along with Mayor James Leduc and Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu for the 2022-2026 council term.
Here is how the ward breakdowns went:
Ward 1
With Sandhu setting his sights on the deputy mayor seat this term, there were five candidates looking to fill his role as Ward 1 councillor.
Ward 1 had the largest pool of candidates, with five residents putting their names into the hat for a chance to sit at the council table: Duhaney, Afrab Hussain, Randy Hutchings, and Rahmat Mansoor.
Duhaney took the lead with 34.9 per cent of the votes.
“I want to make this community an even better place to live,” she said in a previous interview with BradfordToday.
She said she wants to be part of a council that comes together quickly as a cohesive unit.
“I want the new council to build strong relationships, work together to set priorities for the next budget, and review the Town's by-laws to make sure opportunities for the community to participate in decision-making are accessible and meaningful,” Duhaney said.
Ward 2
Scott will continue his reign as Ward 2 councillor after taking over for the late Gary Baynes in the 2020 by-election. This time around though he only had one opponent, Carlos Botelho, who he beat with 79 per cent of the vote.
Like his predecessor, Scott continues to advocate for the mature parts of town, and has been instrumental in various projects in the ward including the upgrades at Lions and Taylor Parks, the repaving of ward streets, and the securing of grants for the Portuguese Cultural Centre and Helping Hand Food Bank.
Scott is looking forward to working on “three big projects" in his area this term: the community centre revitalization, the Holland Street transformation, and the riverfront trail project.
“I am incredibly honoured by the overwhelming support I’ve received from residents in the east end of town," he said. "The voters have spoken and it is clear that there is very strong support -- over 79 per cent -- for our vision to get things done to revitalize the older end of town, to protect our environment and to support our most vulnerable."
Ward 3
Gary Lamb has been ousted from his seat by candidate Ben Verkaik who took 47 per cent of the vote. Also running in the ward was Gavin Maclean who took home around 10 per cent of the votes.
Verkaik says being elected has given him a great sense of responsibility to represent the residents of Ward 3.
"I was pretty sure the results would be close either way so I just kept knocking on doors," he told BradfordToday. "It was a pleasure to reconnect with people I know and to meet so many new faces."
He says he is looking forward to working with his fellow councillors and making a difference in the town.
Ward 4
It was a close race between Joseph Giordano and Rick Turner but in the end, it was Giordano who won with 41 per cent of the vote.
Other candidates who ran in the ward were Ifthikar Ahmad and Zahid Kahlon.
Giordano has been advocating for traffic control and better speed mitigation in the Summerlyn Village subdivision, new amenities and businesses for the town, and more events for overall improved community spirit.
"We have seen that people want some change here in Bradford," he said. "I have so much to look forward to. There is a great team elected and I can’t wait to make meaningful change and new opportunities for my ward and the town. We have so much potential and we are in a perfect position to build a winning strategy to make Bradford the perfect place to 'Love Where We Live'."
Ward 5
Peter Ferragine will continue his political streak in Ward 5 for a third straight term. This is the third time he ran against Munawar Chudary for the Ward 5 council seat.
"I am humbled to have been re-elected as your local councillor, and look forward to working with you all as well as the Town of Bradford for the next four years," he wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. "It was a tough grind out there, but I appreciated the kind words at the door and the great open conversations we had."
He says he is looking forward to working with the new council team.
"Campaigning takes a lot of work and time.... Time away from friends and family, but it's great seeing people getting out there to do something good for the municipality we live in."
Ward 6
Nickolas Harper will be the next Ward 6 councillor, taking 38.8 per cent of the vote, ousting Coun. Mark Contois, and beating out Library Board Chair Jennifer Harrison.
Harper says it's an honour to win.
"This was a huge battle and undertaking to take on," he said. "My opponents were huge moguls in the community and for me to be an unknown, walk in and even have a chance at winning, I knew I was going to have to work three times harder than any campaign just to make an impact,"
Harper has been campaigning for change in the ward, with safer streets, more leisure activities for youth and a boost in building up industry.
"I am looking forward to hearing and diving more in-depth about the issues that were brought up to me during this election," he said. "Our residents deserve answers and I want to be able to confidently speak with them about those issues."
Ward 7
It was a close race between Peter Dykie and Steph Sinclair but in the end, Dykie held onto his reign with 48.4 per cent of the vote, also beating out newcomer Nathan Harris.
"I would like to thank the residents of Ward 7," said Dykie who noted this was his hardest run to date in all of his 30+ years on council.
"(I am) looking forward to working with a new mix of councillors," said Dykie. "There is lots to look forward to in Ward 7. Please continue to reach out to me regarding your comments, questions, or concerns."
