Patrick Johnstone is running for Mayor of New Westminster, and he answered my questions! He started with this preamble, which was nice to set the context:
Dear constituent. Thank you for your thoughtful questions, I have endeavoured to answer them in the spirit with which they were intended.
Given the amount of press Vancouver’s Stanley Park received when it had a bunch of coyotes roaming around it, do you support introducing more coyotes into New Westminster’s parks, potentially entering a Tourism / Parks partnership for tourist-coyote meet-and-greet programs?
Hear me out: the Queens Park Arena has essentially the same capacity as the arena the Phoenix Coyotes are playing in this year…
Improving connections between Queensborough and mainland New Westminster is important. Will you commit to exploring new options such as draining the Fraser, installing catapults (free branding advice: name them “Qatapults”, you’re welcome), or advocating for a gondola like stupid Burnaby is getting?
One word: Tunnels.
Speaking of stupid Burnaby, one of the darkest chapters in New Westminster’s history was when south Burnaby claimed independence and separated from New Westminster. As a result, New West lost nearly half of its land area and tax base. To what lengths are you willing to go to in order to take our land back and bring New Westminster back to its former glory?
You think adding more Burnaby results in a net increase in glory?
What is your favourite bubble tea shop and flavour?
Do they make one with Geritol in it? Because that’s probably the one I need.
Do you support hosting a local version of Burning Man in New West, culminating in the burning of a derelict building?
I may have dabbled in Burning Man fandom in the past, but my opinions on deserts, exhibitionism and fire have evolved over time, and I have been very public about this. Please see my Blog at patrickjohnstone.ca
What is your favourite neighbourhood and why is it (still) Brow of the Hill?
We got rocks.
With New Westminster’s hills, and winters having longer cold spells, what is your position on improving transportation options between Downtown and Uptown by installing rope towlines on 6th, 8th, and 10th Streets between Carnarvon and 4th Ave during the winter months?
Two words: Tunnels & Elevator.
When will you bring metal to the Anvil Centre theatre?
With Number of the Beast now 40 years old, and Double Nickels on the Dime almost the same age, I am already planning the Century House Metal & Punk Club. I thought Anvil at the Anvil would be a good launch event, but Lips isn’t returning my emails.
Thank you Patrick!
And don’t forget to go out and vote!