Steve Boylan is one of four candidates vying for a council position in the upcoming by-election March 1 for the District of Barriere.
Boylan and his wife Jennifer have been in Barriere for four years now and “really love the community” having found a 10-acre parcel of land just off of Agate Bay Road that came with an “ideal dog kennel building” which really sold them on the property.
Boylan is one of four candidates running.
He was parts manager for a large GM dealership in the Lower Mainland. Jennifer breeds Golden Retrievers, showing them all across Western Canada. They have seven retrievers in their own kennel which they show, breed and a number of the dogs have also been in movies.
“Being retired, I’m very interested in working with the people in Barriere as I’m very community minded," he said. "I’ve been a coach for years for many sports and provincial teams. I also coach at Barriere Secondary, coaching soccer, track and field just as examples. We are an athletic family. I just love giving back to the community any way I can.”
Boylan is also on the executive board for the Royal Canadian Legion branch #242 in Barriere, holding the position of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
He describes himself as a “fairly shy person” and says he likes to work in the background often to get things done.
“In the role as councillor for the district I feel my mandate would be to represent the residents of the area, not steamroll my ideas through. I’m there to listen to the people and then figure out what they need. Things that I’ve heard from residents are the need for more doctors, additional housing for seniors and more employment opportunities for young graduates to encourage them to stay in the community. I wish we had the finances to build something like the legion has in Coquitlam where they purchased the land and built subsidized housing for seniors there.”
He considers himself to be very “open-minded” and enjoys problem solving to find a practical solution.
“My wife is also a dog groomer, and we would love to buy a building in town and develop it and have other businesses move into it. Perhaps there is a possibility of provincial funding for sustainable projects that we can look into for the community,” he said, adding, “I think a councillor and mayor's job is to listen to the public and what the people are saying is needed.”
Boylan is involved with the Barriere Youth Soccer Association (BYSA) as a community coach for soccer at the club level and also coaches at Barriere Secondary School. When he lived in the Lower Mainland he was team manager and coach for Team BC Track and Field for the National Championships including the Canada Games which is what he calls “the penultimate step in Olympic team development”.
“I would be more than happy to discuss any questions residents may have for me and would like to invite everyone to an all candidates meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 18 at 6 p.m. at the Lions Hall,” he said, “I’m looking forward to it.”
