Mayoral candidate Stan Waciak, on the challenges facing Calgary

Editor's Note: As part of our coverage for theOct. 16civic election, CBC Calgary has offered each candidate for the office of mayor the opportunity to write up to 700 words on our website, outlining what they believe to be the greatest challenges facing our city, and what they would do about those challenges if elected. These articles are run as submitted edited only to meet CBC Journalistic Standards and Practices. This article is part of that series. The CBC's primary goal through our election coverage is to provide citizens with the information they need to make an informed decision on polling day.

Thank you for this opportunity to show some of my platform points.

But first a little about myself.

I am a people person, comfortable with all ages and backgrounds. I'm down-to-earth, honest and high integrity. Over the last few years, I've been in construction. I take things apart and rebuild them. Bigger, better and more beautiful.

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I work with a great bunch of people contractors and owners. I don't mind getting my hands dirty. I also like music, theatre and live events.

Now, for my platform and a few things about each. These aren't in any order of importance.

1. Traffic Concerns.
2. Transit
3. Grey Water
4. The Zoo
5. Calgary Next and Beyond
6. Traffic Concerns.

Traffic Concerns

In order for our downtown core to move, here's a few concepts.

• Shaganappi Trail should connect to 37th street and or 45 street South West.
• 50th Avenue. Have it connected right across to MRU.
• The bottle-neck at a Deerfoot Trail and Douglas Glen area has to be dealt with.
• Southland Drive should connect to Quarry Park.

Transit

• Has to be more efficient. People want to get to work fast and ontime. We have to consider faster trains and right-of-ways.
• Self sufficiency. Start marking our own coaches, chassis, electrical components, etc. This starts a micro economy. And hire our own.
• Price of transit has to drop to reflect the economy same as parking prices. We want to attract people not scare them.

Grey Water

• This will make our city less wasteful. We can start with our parks and public areas, and in time our high maintenance areas and the rest of the city.
• Why should we use our drinking water to water our lawns and trees and such. Think about it!

The Zoo

• I love our zoo. Where is it going? Just a display rack. I would like our city to consider a bigger, better zoo, not unlike the Toronto zoo, but better. The future generation and tourists would enjoy it, as well as those who educate themselves in the field.
• We could have the Green Line as part of it.

Calgary Next & Beyond

• Where are we going as a sports city short term and long term? Right now we have to compete as a city as a whole to maintain our status among the world, the country and the province. If we are world class, we can play.
• Let's remember small businesses as we expand.
• We as a city should have a racetrack for our Gear Heads.
• We know the Saddledome can only last so long. We should be moving forward and boldly towards a positive future for our city as a whole.

These are just a few things I have on my platform. There are more from the cycle route downtown to small business, to our communities. Let's not forget the art fiasco and that parking program.

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Think of me.

Stan The Man