MPP’s wife running for council

By Nathan Taylor – QMI Agency – 7 July 2010
Image is important, especially to small towns and villages, and Jane Dunlop is hoping to put Coldwater and the rest of Severn Township out there for everyone to see.

The lifelong Coldwater resident, and wife of longtime Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop, has announced her candidacy for Severn’s Ward 2 in the upcoming municipal election.
Dunlop said Severn has a lot to offer, and she’s seen enough of people passing by and not stopping in. That was part of the reason she lobbied successfully for — and became founding chair of — a business improvement area (BIA) in Coldwater.
“These urban areas need to be supported better through council,” Dunlop said of Coldwater, Washago and other areas in Severn. “We have to concentrate more on the urban areas. Victoria Harbour lost their main street, and it’s sad.”
Dunlop, who runs a home-based business, Country Girl Creations, said she would encourage the creation of a BIA in Washago, too.
While there are certain areas of interest for Dunlop, the overall objective of her running for council is to bring “fresh ideas” to the council table.
She has experience dealing with township council through her involvement in her community, as fundraising chair with the Coldwater Mill Heritage Foundation, chair of Coldwater’s 100th anniversary celebrations and a member of the Coldwater Library board, to name a few. Those endeavours have had her appear before council on a number of occasions, but she’s ready to take it to another level.
“I’d like to be around the table to make decisions, and not just for Coldwater, but for the entire township,” she said.
Dunlop wants council to focus on sprucing up the township and improving its image through more signage and better maintenance, such as grass cutting and snow removal.
“That has to be a priority in small towns,” she said, suggesting the township should consider private partnerships for such projects, which could save money.