Natalie Aldridge (left) and Corey Hardcastle are running for a spot on Air Ronge council. (submitted photos)

By Derek Cornet

municipal election

Aldridge to call for amalgamation vote, Hardcastle advocating for crime reduction if elected in Air Ronge

Oct 27, 2020 | 4:53 PM

Corey Hardcastle has been a councillor in Air Ronge since 2012 and wants voters to give him a third term.

If elected, Hardcastle would advocate for a crime reduction strategy as he believes the crime rate in the village is going up, mostly notably with break-ins, stolen property and home invasions. He said local residents have told him they don’t feel safe.

“It’s time we look at strategies we can do to reduce the crime in the village and it’s not an easy thing to fix and it’s not going to be overnight, but hopefully if we brainstorm and put our heads together, we can figure out a strategy to reduce crime,” Hardcastle said.

He also pledged to keep taxes low through fiscal responsibility, as well as enhance strategic planning and consultation with residents. The comprehensive plan would cover social and infrastructure goals, but should be financially sound and recognize the village’s main municipal responsibilities are roads, parks, sewer, water, snow removal, garbage collection and more.

Hardcastle also wants more work done to mitigation the risk of wildfires and apply for funding to assist in covering the costs.

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“I care a lot about the region and the Village of Air Ronge,” he said. “I just want to step up and run for another four years. There’s some things I want to finish that haven’t been completed.”

Hardcastle is a waterbomber pilot with the Government of Saskatchewan and he holds a diploma in aviation. He sits on the Northern Municipal Trust Account board, is raising children in the village and has lived in Air Ronge since 2000.

Aldridge to call for amalgamation referendum

Natalie Aldridge wants to look into the possibility of big changes if she’s elected to council.

She decided to run for council after she accepted a nomination from Julie Baschuk and considered the advice from her family and church leadership at Air Ronge Pentecostal Church. If elected, Aldridge would like to determine the pros and cons of amalgamation with La Ronge and call for a referendum.

“I believe that in order to provide the urban services required in this area, we need to bring urbanization, we need to start doing some research into what it would look like and doing a bit of a needs assessment,” she said. “I would never run for mayor of Air Ronge, but I would run for mayor of the city of the new Lac La Ronge community and whatever name would be decided upon.”

Aldridge mentioned she believes in social change, as well as staying true to her ethics and values. She currently works as a teacher for the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and she holds a Bachelor of Education degree, along with a Masters in Education Administration.

Aldridge is also the chairperson of the Gordon Denny Community School council and she is the leader of the worship team at her church. She was born in La Ronge, lived in Air Ronge since 2014 and is raising children in the community.

“I believe in strength through cooperation and I believe that the competition that is happening between municipalities and other forms of government in our area is only to the detriment to our society, and isn’t supporting the growth, and the improvement of the safety and quality of life of our community members,” Aldridge said.

The Air Ronge municipal election is Nov. 9.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno