Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek shares his goals for 2025:
My wish for 2025 is that the Town of Qualicum Beach continues to build on the successes of 2024, including:
• Waterfront roundabout, including the viewing platform and the First Nations artwork by Jesse Recalma in the centre of the roundabout, an indication of our respectful relationship with the Qualicum First Nation;
• Beach Creek East Crescent culvert, the Memorial Golf course bridge, and Bay Street improvements;
• Collaborating with the Qualicum School District to confirm long-term solutions for the Qualicum Commons property to ensure that it continues to serve as a vibrant and essential community hub, and recognizing the valuable services provided by the existing tenants;
• Awards for Distinguished Budget Presentation (Government Finance Officers Association) and the Spirit of Innovation (Municipal Information Systems Association of BC) for ‘Transforming Public Inquiry Workflow: Leveraging AI & Microsoft Power Platform’.
For the Town of Qualicum Beach, change evolves through the annual Strategic Planning and Budget process that engages council, staff and the community to provide input on the plan for the future. Working in collaboration with residents is what ultimately ensures that the town remains a vibrant and welcoming community, offering a high quality of life.
Qualicum Beach is blessed with engaged and passionate residents, civic-minded businesses and organizations, compassionate multi-denominational groups, and diverse volunteers with whom we are honoured to work and who truly bring our town together.
Sadly, in December 2024 we lost one such highly-valued, tireless volunteer. The Town of Qualicum Beach remembers and celebrates Anna Maria Klees who made an indelible mark on our community, as recognized in 2011 when council conferred the honourary designation of ‘Freeman of the Town’ for her fine qualities of mind and personality, and her dedication to the town.
The Town of Qualicum Beach extends its deepest condolences to the Klees family. In 2025. council will continue to serve our residents in a professional and calm manner treating each other, staff and the public with respect. We have exciting initiatives planned for 2025, including:
• Housing-focused Official Community Plan Review, with a lens to ways to achieve affordable market and rental housing;
• Implement and Operationalize the Town’s Asset Management Strategy and Plan, so Asset Management becomes an annual practice, with procedures for reporting and measuring progress;
• Pathways to Sustainable Economic Development in Qualicum Beach, to outline a strategic pathway to transition from the existing to the sustainable future envisioned in the Town’s Sustainability Plan;
• Greenhouse Gas Audit for three key municipal buildings (Civic Centre, Community Hall and Town Hall), noted in the Climate Mitigation Actions Matrix;
• Review our Tree Protection Bylaw;
• Continued success for the local skatepark community group who, in the last few weeks of 2024 raised tens of thousands of dollars in additional cash and in-kind donations bringing their fundraising total to nearly $150,000 in 2024, to support the replacement and upgrade of the existing town skatepark in 2025.
The town will continue to advocate for improved health care, facilitate special events, and practise fiscal prudence, ensuring that Qualicum Beach remains one of the best places in which to live for people of all ages. On behalf of councillors Harrison, Skipsey, Vander Valk and Young, and staff at the Town of Qualicum Beach, I wish everyone a Happy New Year.