Duncan McDonald is running for a second term on Elkford council.
McDonald has called Elkford home since 1978, and raised three kids in town.
He worked for the District of Elkford for about 40 years, moving from a labourer to public works superintendent, before leaving that position in 2018 and running for council.
He said working for the district was the best choice he ever could have made.
“I wanted to retire, but at the same time it’s almost like, it’s been your whole life,” he said.
“You still like to know what’s going on, you want to be involved, you care about it because you looked after it and been part of the team for all those years,” he said, adding he likes to come back and be involved, help out, and make sure they find the right direction.
When asked why he decided to run for a second term, he spoke to the limitations placed on the job during the COVID years.
“Now that we’re kind of trending away from that… I’d like to get out, and there’s still things that I’d like to see get finished.”
He said he would like to see a continued effort to get the downtown area developed, and spoke about the seniors housing project (he is the chair of the Elkford Housing Society), saying the hope is that they will be able to start building in 2023.
He said they’ve mostly caught up on paving over the last four years, but there is still some work to be done above and beneath ground.
“Let’s see that get finished up.”
He mentioned work on new trails and a bike park being built for kids, saying these amenities make the town a bit more amiable for people.
He spoke about housing, saying that, while it is a widespread issue, it’s an ‘extreme necessity’ in Elkford, expressing hope that a piece of district-owned land be re-serviced and set up for development.
“How about a storefront with three floors of apartments above, to try and address the housing problem that we have here in town.”
From his first term on council, he said he was proud of getting the roads back in shape, is glad to see a new website for the district, and spoke about work that’s been done with Teck on things like housing and the miners’ work camp.
He thinks there is going to be a big change on council this time around, with long-time mayor Dean McKerracher leaving and other shake-ups, saying it will be very interesting. He encouraged people to step up and run.
“I just want to try to help make Elkford a better place to live,” he said.
“It’s a great place, but, like anything, you always gotta keep working on.”
READ MORE: Editor’s note: Calling all local candidates
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