A longtime New Westminster resident believes city council is the place where she can make the most impact on the community.
During her 29 years in New West, Chinu Das has served on most city committees and worked for the school district and the United Way. Now retired, she’s hoping to continue her contributions to the community on city council and is running for council in the Oct. 20 civic election.
"My years of living, working, and volunteering in the city has given me an understanding of the strengths and issues in our community. I want the opportunity to work with the community and make an impact,” she said. “I know I’m able to bring a strong voice to a collaborative council that represents all residents of New Westminster."
Das once worked as a community school coordinator at Lord Kelvin Elementary School and then as the school district’s manager of multiculturalism and settlement services. She later worked with the United Way as a strategic planner with the middle childhood program.
Currently a member of the city’s seniors advisory committee and the community and social issues committee, Das she’s served on many of the city’s advisory committees, including the mayor’s task force on public engagement, the multicultural advisory committee and the museum and archives advisory committee. She’s also a member of the Welcoming and Inclusive Community committee that runs a newcomers festival.
Having worked behind the scenes, Das would like to bring her knowledge, experience and voice to city council.
“This way, running for city council means I can be at the table making decisions,” she said. “The timing was right. It was time to take that next step.”
Das, who will be seeking an endorsement from the New Westminster and District Labour Council, said her campaign will focus on three main themes:
* A strong local economy: Das believes a strong economy will bring vitality to New Westminster by attracting people to live, work, and participate in all aspects of city life.
* A healthy, inclusive and vibrant community: Das believes New Westminster's demographics have changed dramatically over the last two decades and that its richness in diversity brings a vibrancy to the community that should be celebrated, leveraged, and embraced.
* An urban environment that is livable, accessible and safe: Das believes the backbone of the community is the infrastructure of housing, transportation and community-based recreation and support services.
Das is the third resident who has announced plans to seek a seat for city council. Nadine Nakagawa, the city’s 2017 Citizen of the Year is also running and planning to seek the labour council’s endorsement, and longtime resident Daniel Fontaine plans to seek the New Westminster Progressive Electors Coalition support at its May 29 nomination meeting.
