Office of the Mayor

Congratulations to this year's winner! Read Callie's essay submission.

Dear Mayor Dan Carter

My name is Callie and I am in grade 6 student. This is a letter for the Mayor for the competition explaining my vision for the future of Oshawa.

I would like to be the mayor because I want to get a glimpse of what it is like to be the face of Oshawa and to know more about the specifics of the position. It would also be cool to sit in the chair that the mayor would sit in every day.

The position of a mayor is important as it deals with current issues and any potential concerns for the future. The mayor’s role is important for the city and citizens as they keep the city orderly and running smoothly, helps enforce rules and expectations (ex. By-laws), keeps services running (ex. waste management), pays Oshawa’s bills, keeps the citizen safe, etc. The mayor is the face of Oshawa and that means that when someone thinks of Oshawa they think of the mayor and what they have done.

The first recommendation to improve Oshawa is to make Oshawa more green and active. We can start by improving or adding more skate/bike parks. The Delpark Homes Centre skate park can be improved for a better one that is not as limited and has a bit more advanced skill range with more challenging obstacles on the course. Another area for improvement is the BMX park off Thornton Road. I have visited this park on a few occasions and I feel this park could use additional lighting and a bike repair station. Having lights installed will allow people to stay at the park longer and the repair station will help in case people need to repair their bike, similar to how Ajax has repair stations along their waterfront trail.

In addition to improving bike parks, I feel there should be more trails and green spaces. This could happen by swapping roads and parking lots for more green spaces and walkways. There could be a city run program that encourages businesses within Oshawa to start gardens or other green spaces on balconies or rooftops. This could be useful as it has mental health benefits, permits healthier food options through gardens, helps cool down the rooftops, and traps rainwater, which can be used to water the gardens and plants.

My final idea is that I think there should be more off leash dog parks. This could be a good idea because the number of dogs in our community are increasing and they need to release some of their energy by running around and playing at these parks. This also benefits community members because they get to socialise and meet other people while their dog can run and play.

Being selected for this competition would be a great experience for me and will be one that I will remember forever.

I am looking forward to hearing from you,

Callie