New Tecumseth is growing quickly. What does "smart growth" mean to you in pract…

To me, smart growth isn't simply a choice between density and sprawl. It's about putting growth where it makes sense and making sure the infrastructure and services are there to support it (and so that everyone gets to share in the benefits of growth).

New Tecumseth is going to grow, so our job on Council is to manage that growth responsibly. That means planning for roads, water and wastewater, parks, recreation, emergency services, schools and traffic alongside new development, not after it. It also means providing a range of housing. We need homes that allow people to age in place, options that are attainable for different incomes and stages of life, and opportunities for our own children to find a home in the community where they grew up.

Density can be part of that, but design matters. Higher-density neighbourhoods need adequate parking, storage and green space so they continue to function and look good as they mature. Where appropriate, rear parking accessed by laneways could help preserve streetscapes while providing space for vehicles and garbage and recycling storage.

I would also like to see new development better reflect the individual character of our three communities rather than creating subdivisions that could be anywhere. That could mean blue tones and references to the pond, natural amphitheatre and railway history in Tottenham; yellows, pollinator-friendly landscapes and nods to Beeton's agricultural and hockey heritage; and earth tones, farming, the Banting Homestead and historic downtown in Alliston.

Smart growth isn't about stopping growth or accepting it at any cost. It's about building complete, attractive communities that work for the people who live in them today and will still work (and look good) decades from now.