After nearly a decade of service, Shawnigan Lake’s Cowichan Valley Regional District director says she will not run in the next municipal election.
Sierra Acton has served on the Cowichan Valley Regional District board for nine and a half years and said it has been an honour to represent constituents.
Acton said some improvements she advocated for in Shawnigan Lake are already underway, including plans to extend the waterfront.
“An outstanding majority of the community was in full support of the project,” she said. “It has been an amazing project that connects four parks, and now the community has a kilometre and half of park access.”
Acton said she entered politics from the private sector to help “speed up processes” in the region.
“I quickly realized that governments moved way too slowly,” she said. “For example, we (CVRD board) were looking at relocating the boat launch, but it has stirred some loud opposition, so I think it has been table for now, or until someone one wants to work on the project.”
Acton said if she had decided to run in the upcoming municipal election, there are several projects she would support to improve life for Shawnigan Lake residents.
“Relocating our boat launch and creating a sewer would be important projects to have on the horizon,” she said. “We’re still an unincorporated area, I think we’re larger than 60 per cent of the municipalities in B.C., and we’re operating under the CVRD and incorporating the area would help with a lot of our issues.”
According to Elections BC, voters will go to the polls Oct. 17 in the next municipal election.
