Patricia Sibley has something to contribute to Parksville council, she said and she is ready to throw her hat into the political ring.
For her the main city issue is the lack of affordable housing in the community.
When I saw that $1 million go out of the community in the spring, I was very upset,” she said of council’s rejection of the Post and Lantern affordable housing project, which had been approved for a $928,000 interest free loan from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
“I know there were issues, the city losing revenues ... but I was disappointed that the people we elected could not see beyond those issues.”
“Three or 400 sq.ft. is space to build a life, it’s a starting point,” she said adding that the lack causes other problems with nowhere for workers to live causing a lack of employees in town.
Sibley worked in co-operative housing in Ontario for 20 years before moving here 10 years ago where she joined the Oceanside Affordable Housing Society. She said she was very frustrated when that group felt like it was going nowhere and eventually collapsed.
“I think I have a skill to contribute,” she said with a brief summary of her resume which includes accounting and teaching post secondary adults accounting, computers and software.
She recently completed her provincial instructor diploma, is a Rotary member and has been active in the community and doing volunteer work, she said.