Eek takes to politics like a duck to water, seeks re-election in 2014

February 11, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
Avia Eek thoroughly enjoys her role as Ward 6 councillor.
Despite being new to the political arena, she’s enjoyed her first term so much, that running for re-election was really a “no brainer.”
She didn’t hesitate to tell her curious constituents that she’s eager to seek another term on council.
Eek admitted that when she ran in the 2010 municipal election, she figured it was a long shot. She had no previous political experience, no connections and she didn’t entirely trust elected officials in general.
She had never been politically active, but she did want change for her community. She also wanted to increase the awareness and appreciation for area farmers.
She believed that if she were victorious, it was meant to be, and she was made for community service.
The last three years have been a “tremendous learning curve for me. There is so much more than meets the eye!”
Local, upper tier, provincial and federal policy makers often make decisions that impact every one of us on a daily basis. In order to help make the best decisions for our communities, and the farming industry, these policy makers need to have all of the information, she contends. She’s always been fond of saying “if you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” meaning if you have information that could help shape the decisions being made, doesn’t it make sense to be at that table with your input?
“To me, that’s a no-brainer. Meetings take up a lot of time, but are necessary to help move us forward in a viable and sustainable manner solving the issues of the day, as well as new issues that arise.
“I am running to be the councillor of Ward 6 again, so that I may continue to be the strong voice which is heard often at the many tables I sit at, providing a fresh perspective for our residents and farmers.”
Eek said she’s tremendously proud of the accomplishments the “King team” has achieved over the last three years.
All facets – King Township council and staff, residents, farmers, volunteers, local media, provincial and federal partners – work to help achieve the “vision we all have for King.”
She lauded the creation of various plans and strategies for the various departments that make up King Township.
She’s especially proud of the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, created by the community for the community. Every staff report that comes before council ties back to the plan.
The Sustainability Advisory Committee is comprised of members from the community, council reps, and staff.
“I am proud to have been one of the participants and currently sit on this committee as a council rep. We are serious about the future of King Township!”
The brand new King Township Economic Development Strategy is another strategy she’s proud to have been involved in.
“King Township has an amazing natural resource – agriculture, and we are looking at ways to expand and retain these agricultural businesses. My focus on council has, and will continue to be agriculture, economic development and how we marry the two together in a sustainable manner for the good of our farmers and residents,” she said.
Eek has become an outspoken cheerleader for agriculture, working on the York Agricultural Advisory Liaison Committee and York Region Food Network.
She’s proud of King’s residents and farmers who take the time to get involved in one capacity or another. “An elected official is not an island unto themselves – it takes teamwork to make change happen. Yes, I am their voice, but I have a great team to work with!”
She’s also currently part of a King Township Tourism Task Force, charged with creating a tourism plan.
“King Township has so many attractions, and treasures that we are not marketing as well as we should be. King has a lot to offer, from the Holland Marsh, Ranch Wake Park, science research facilities, bed and breakfast destinations, to equine facilities, our trails, cafes and conference facilities.
The councillor pointed out they are slowly getting King Township’s finances in order, and they have a strategy in place to replace reserve funds.
King is in the process of updating its Official Plan, ast revised in 1970. “It is important to update this land use policy document to align with regional, provincial and federal land use policies to avoid misinterpretation by those who may not agree with the vision we have for our community. As well, we need to use the various plans and strategies we, as a Township, have created over the last three years to accurately reflect where we want our community to go, and how we want to see it grow. We are essentially being proactive, rather than reactive.”
She’s quite busy, but she admits she never thought she’d enjoy politics as much as she does.
“It isn’t what I expected at all. I enjoy the fact that people are not afraid to come forward when they disagree with a staff report. We have a very open, transparent and accountable process in place, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of that.”
She has changed over the last three years. She’s gone from one of those cynical, don’t trust government people, to seeing the reality from the inside – how working together for a common goal, putting solutions on the table, and being positive can and does work.
Eek said her mandate hasn’t changed from 2010. “I am still working hard to raise awareness, and solve issues for our farmers through my involvement with the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee; Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance; York Agricultural Advisory Liaison Committee; Sustainability Advisory Committee; Lake Simcoe Region Conversation Authority; Holland Marsh; Digital York; King Township Tourism Task Force.
“What excites me about politics is, when you approach it with an open mind, collaborative spirit, and the genuine want to help people resolve issues, it becomes a very positive experience.
“I believe that if we are serious about engaging our citizens, we need to build their trust through continued accountability, transparency, approachability and integrity. I have also witnessed politics being done differently in King Township. We do ask for input; we do work collaboratively with our residents/farmers.
“It is only by continuing to work together in this manner that our collective vision for our community of communities will continue to flourish and grow.”