Name: Brian Runge

Ward You’re Running In: 8

Current Occupation: Design Consultant, Caplevalti Design

Voter Information: Brianrunge.ca, Facebook brianrunge4ward8

QUESTION AND ANSWER

1. Briefly, why are you running for council?
The current councillor and city council as a group are forcing an agenda that they did not previously campaign on. Many of these visionary projects are ignoring the priorities of residents with little input or consultation. Other pressing needs and concerns are being ignored or postponed.

2. What is the single most pressing issue facing Regina? How would you solve it?
Housing is critical to our continued growth and stability for all residents. We need to establish a Housing Task Force immediately that brings together the business and community stakeholders. The incentives directed at stimulating multi-unit rental projects needs to be dramatically increased with added restrictions for condo conversions. Affordable housing projects developed with Sask Housing, such as the St. Joseph School Site need to be implemented quickly.

3. Imagine the Regina Of The Future that you want to help build. What will it look like?
A Vibrant Inner City with Interconnected Communities that compliment each other. Complete Neighbourhoods that utilize schools and recreational facilities as the core elements with lesser emphasis on the strip mall or box store conglomerations. Transportation systems that respect residential arteries more than through neighbourhood expressways.

4. Beyond immediate concerns like housing, the stadium and infrastructure renewal, what “big idea” project do you want to work on that nobody seems to be talking about?
Alternative mass transit options using short line LRT on existing railway infrastructure and right of ways. Rail relocation of the main lines north of the city would make this easier to implement than shared use. Future extensions of service to bedroom communities would lessen traffic congestion on existing networks and parking demands within the downtown, hospitals, university and industrial centers.

5. Name something the last council got right.
The Global Transportation Hub is an idea that has proven itself, save for making sure the arteries to serve the area were in place prior to development. The cart is now pulling the horse.

6. Now, point out their biggest mistake.
The City Centre Plaza was a concept that was a disaster in the making. While the idea of creating a public gathering space adjacent the park has merit, Scarth Street may have proven a better location. The disruption to efficient traffic flow and transit access has produced a result that discourages residents from going downtown. The extension of the plaza on each block of Scarth Street may have been a better vision for festivals, farmers’ markets and other community events while providing a stronger link between the Downtown, Transition Area and Wascana Park.

7. What are you reading these days?
City of Regina Bylaws and the Library Act Legislation.

8. Beyond your residence, do you own any property in Regina or in the immediate area?
No, our home is our residence and vacation property.

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FUN QUESTIONS!

1. What is your favourite Regina restaurant?
The Diplomat

2. Who is your favourite Regina artist?
Jeff Straker

3. What actor would play you in the gritty cable drama, Queen City Hall?

4. How would your character die?

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PICK A SIDE

Cats or Dogs? Dogs

Vampires or Werewolves? Werewolves

Boxing or Roller Derby? Roller Derby

Steak or Sushi? Steak

Hill Towers or Legislative Building? Legislative Building

Quance Street or Dewdney Avenue? Dewdney Avenue

Artesian or Wascana Park Gazebo? Wascana Park Gazebo

Prairie Dog or Richardson Ground Squirrel? Prairie Dog

Giant Grasshopper or Stegosaurus? Giant Grasshopper

Saskaboom or SaskAdvantage? SaskAdvantage

Bike or Sports Car? Bike

Le Macaron or Five Guys?

The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Beatles

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BONUS QUESTION: Make up your own question (And answer it, of course!)
How would you demonstrate Honesty and Integrity as an elected official?
Firstly, by listening and responding to residents’ issues and concerns with respect. While ensuring the best interests of all Regina, it is equally important to advocate for the needs of the ward you represent. Finding solutions with direct involvement of those affected is more desirable than imposing top down decisions. No one person can have all the right answers to satisfy everyone’s needs, but one can be humble enough in working to find acceptable results for most.

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Find out about all the other people running in this election on our Candidate Profiles page. And follow all of our online election coverage — including interviews, analysis and podcasts — on our Regina City Election 2012 page.