Janet Peake might be a newish face in Summerland, but she’s not new to politics.
Peake spent 19 years on council in a northern Ontario township, including seven years as mayor, finishing up in 2010, when she moved to the area.
“I would really like the opportunity to serve the people of Summerland,” said Peake, who is running for one of the six council seats. “I really like our community and I think it has great opportunities.”
Peake said she wants to focus on revitalizing Summerland’s economic outlook.
“We need to bring our business core to life again,” she said, explaining her view that Summerland needs to attract young families for a more rounded population and economy.
“Summerland has a decent population, but we have more people that are retired than are in their working years,” she said, adding that young people in their earning years spend more in the economy.
When it comes to the controversial land swap, Peake said council needs to be careful and considerate. “Summerland has a kind of magical quality. It is very enchanting. It draws people because of the climate and the beautiful territory and the agriculture is part of that, so you have to safeguard it,” she said.