A former community manager at Heritage Pointe hopes to serve the broader Foothills community as a councillor.
Don Waldorf served the Lake at Heritage Pointe community association for six years, having resided in the neighbourhood since 2003.
“I loved it, but it was time to move on,” said Waldorf. “I’m not really ready to retire, and this is an opportunity to continue to be involved.”
He had developed a close working relationship with the late Div. 6 representative, Larry Spilak, who passed away in November 2020.
When Spilak died, there was a noticeable shift in the division because he had been an active councillor and an advocate for the area, said Waldorf.
“With him passing away Foothills County councillors really jumped in to try and represent this region,” he said. “It’s difficult. They’ve got their own division to look after, and there has been a lot happening with the Serenity and Launch Pad (developments).”
Talks with representatives from Davisburg, Pinehurst, and the different community associations within Heritage Pointe have revealed many people feel under-represented, he said.
While everyone understands councillors are helping where they can, he said residents feel out of the loop after being well-informed by Spilak.
Waldorf said he’s ready to fill that gap.
“I think that’s a big thing, to regain the confidence of the residents that they do have a voice and someone who will listen and be able to bring forward our issues and concerns,” he said.
He said he’ll be able to hit the ground running, because in his position as community manager at The Lake at Heritage Pointe, he got to know may of the area residents and presidents of community associations in neighbouring subdivisions.
Working in a managerial role also made him privy to many of the concerns of residents, and allowed him to work with County administration, he said.
“It’s kind of an extension of what I’ve been doing for the last six years, managing the community," said Waldorf. “Now I can just kind of expand it a little bit if I’m lucky enough to be elected.”
On the broader scope, he has been following closely the issues of growth and the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board and taking in council meetings to grasp what is happening in the other six County divisions.
Waldorf said he has an appreciation for the balance required in Foothills County between rural, agricultural areas, industry and dense residential zones.
Prior to living in Foothills, he resided at Redwood Meadows for five years and also spent a portion of his sales career working outside of the city.
“I was with Molson Breweries for many years back in the ‘80s, and my territory was northwest Calgary up to Innisfail and down through this area,” said Waldorf. “I have an appreciation and really understand Foothills County is a rural municipality, and that’s so important.”
While maintaining agricultural land is vital, he said the County also needs to be prepared for the ultimate sprawl coming from the north as the City of Calgary expands. Public open houses in 2016 revealed possible growth scenarios proposed by the City, and three of the four included Heritage Pointe.
It will take some hard work to ensure Foothills is able to keep its balance, he said.
“How do we balance economic opportunities and vibrant communities while not infringing on agricultural land and keeping in mind the environment and sustainability?” said Waldorf.
While he’s familiar with many issues both within Div. 6 and the County as a whole, Waldorf said there’s still a lot to learn.
“I’ve worked with boards, I understand the scenario of board meetings and parliamentary procedure – I’m not a total neophyte,” he said. “But life is like that – we can always improve.”
One of the skills he plans to bring to the table is something he became very experienced with as a community manager: listening.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the cat that’s bugging someone’s beautiful garden to something more serious,” said Waldorf. “The fact a resident or constituent is bringing something to my attention, or our attention, must mean it’s important to them.”
