Building Community

As I go door to door there has been a concern that as we continue to grow at the rate we are, we are losing the identity and culture of our city.  The same aspects that attracted us to Leduc to raise our families, grow our business or retire here are fading away.  I want to encourage you that it doesn’t have to be our reality.  

Good leadership realizes the importance of culture. As a business owner, I am very aware that the culture of my office significantly impacts not only my bottom line but patient outcomes and employee satisfaction and retention.   As a community the impact of isolationism partly due to technology and also the lingering effects of Covid protocols among other factors has lead to a growing level of depression, anxiety and isolation.  For individuals, studies show that loneliness is as unhealthy as smoking.  Other studies  show that loneliness or “subjective social isolation”  decreases immune function and increases inflammation.  So in a society that no longer has to rely on talking to a human to get a ride, order food, shop for clothes, or even get an education how do we build community?  How do we rebuild the social connections that created that “small town feel”. The answer is investment.  We need to start investing back in our community.  It is easy to blame the government or immigration but in the end community is built by those who inhabit it.  The small town feel that we love about Leduc is the simple things like opening the door for a stranger, letting that person in during traffic, volunteering to coach a team, or taking a meal over to a sick neighbour.  

Community connections and volunteering are two important ways to create positive culture. As a council member, I hope to lead by example and make it easy for volunteer groups to help re-build community.  To help build relationships between people and groups who share the same vision to better our community. To stimulate collaborative initiatives and make it easier for citizens and social groups to deepen and expand their impact.  We need to share our vision of service to people new to our community so they can see the value of that “small town feel”and find places where they can contribute.  

I look forward to making my contribution to that “small town feel” if you would have me.  This October please vote Brett Baynes as your representative on city council.