A local businessman who has spent months listening to citizens’ concerns through focus groups is running for mayor.
Larry McCabe knows a thing or two about tourism and hospitality after 24 years of ownership and management at Pazzo Pizzeria in the downtown core.
Engaging with more than 35 groups and individuals has opened McCabe’s eyes to concerns and presented ideas about how a city council could potentially alleviate them.
He will continue the meetings over the summer.
“To see people generally enthusiastic about the idea of being engaged with politics was really heartening and I hope to see more,” he told StratfordToday.
During the last election, youth forums were hosted in the downstairs pizzeria. The idea to expand the forums to include more age groups and demographics soon followed.
“We are basically asking people what is the city doing right, doing wrong, what things are key to a prosperous Stratford in the future?”
The ideas and information flowing from the forums have given McCabe a good base as he gets rolling on his mayoral campaign. McCabe was scheduled to host a campaign launch at Noon today.
One of the biggest concerns the city is facing is housing availability and affordability, he said.
“We have a housing crisis. That is the key driver of my campaign. I don’t think we are doing enough.”
McCabe has seen it first-hand as a business owner. Staff can’t afford to live in the city, or do so by spending a large percentage of their income on living expenses. That scenario plays out throughout the community. Housing prices have skyrocketed and rentals, if you can find one, are pricing people out.
McCabe suggested the city look at increasing housing density downtown by using the former Cooper Site, most of which has been empty since he was a kid, he said.
“We have a huge property in the middle of downtown. We have to build high. There are some real benefits to having density on that site.”
Condos and/or apartments there would be a good start to housing issues in the city, he said and could include a mix of affordable/attainable housing.
The site has been the subject of much discussion over decades by city council, who have most recently continued on with plans for a community hub. The University of Waterloo Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business and the YMCA are located on the property and have a vested interest in future plans.
McCabe said the city needs to work closely with the provincial government, who recently announced plans to build 1.5 million homes in the next 10 years.
“Housing affordability is staggering as a societal issue right now.”
McCabe would also like to see another city-run daycare open to ensure families have licensed, affordable care for their children. Roads are another big topic on the minds of many, he said. The city’s recent decision to implement a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) will provide revenue for Destination Stratford and the city, which will be split down the middle. Roads are a ‘prickly issue’ for many people and that city revenue should be used to start filling potholes, he suggested.
McCabe has not run for council before but he is optimistic about his chances and believes there is room for new ideas and new energy around the council chamber.
At the same time, he understands the challenges of political life, particularly during the pandemic.
He is proud to see the city bounce back but cautioned the real impact on businesses will not be felt until after the current tourism season wraps up, after two-plus lean pandemic years.
“I have been standing here on the corner of the main street in Stratford for 24 years, watching things develop and change here and it’s exciting,” he said.
McCabe said he will work hard to get answers and, if elected, work with council and the community to ‘get wins for Stratford’. He hopes people enjoy the summer and have an opportunity to re-connect. In the Fall, he will lay out a clear vision and mayoral platform.
“It is a new experience for me. This is an opportunity to present a new vision for the city, not just for the next four to eight years but the next 50 to 100 years. We need to start generating solutions, not the same old ways of doing things.”
