Dave Rowe is throwing his hat into the ring once again for a seat of city council. Rowe ran a close race in 2020, and heading toward retirement is dedicated to serving the community in a new capacity.
Rowe has been a teacher at Humboldt Collegiate since 1997, and he’s committed himself to volunteering as a coach and official throughout his career. He’s served in the 10th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery as part of what he calls a life of service.
Now with his longtime home community heading into a new era of potential growth and economic development, he’s chosen to step forward at let his name stand for council.
“I think back to when I came here in 1997, and there were no homes to look at for purchase,” Rowe recalls, “And I think that as we look forward to growth, we have to make sure that we have the infrastructure in place. That includes homes to purchase or rent but also the kinds of facilities that will attract people to stay here long term.”
For Rowe, those include recreational facilities like hockey rinks and ball diamonds, as well as facilities to support the arts like a theatre or gymnastic facilities.
In addition to fostering amenities for those with young families, Rowe also acknowledges that Humboldt is a retirement community. He says it’s important to ensure a senior friendly environment awaits people who are looking to settle in Humboldt in their retirement years.
Asked about the city generating revenue for growth and expansion of facilities and services, Rowe shared a memory from his early days in the community.
“I remember a mayor in Humboldt at the time when we moved to Humboldt and I purchased a house saying, ‘we finally have you on the tax roll.’ In terms of mill rates that, I think part of the answer comes in the growth we do expect. As people purchase homes, they’ll be paying property taxes which help fund the programs and facilities we need.”
Humboldt has no end of options for employers given the combination of mining, agriculture, services and retail, Rowe suggests. Channeling those opportunities into revenue could provide the catalyst for development on a variety of fronts.
Rowe accentuates the positive when it comes to some of the moves Humboldt City Council has made in recent years.
“There’s been quite a bit of growth in the ball diamond area and the walking paths. I’m really pleased to see how those have developed. We’re slowly but surely working our way at infrastructure like paving and the railroad crossing, and very pleased to see that sidewalks and curbs are being made accessible instead of having sharp drop offs at corners.”
In the final analysis, Rowe agrees the city is poised for growth and needs to progress with needed amenities. He tempers this enthusiasm with an understanding that it all comes with a cost.
“Our facilities are strong, but I think we need to expand that a bit. I know a second hockey rink would be quite expensive, but we have children getting up so early to go to hockey practice. Our older teenagers involved in hockey are practicing very late at night. It’s hard on families and it’s hard on academics.”
A multi-purpose facility, like the one in Martensville which incorporates a field house, is another wish list item for Rowe.
“I’d definitely like to reach out to them and find out how they were able to achieve that and provide that kind of facility for Humboldt.
Rowe has been actively involved in writing and drama through his years, and he wants to ensure that the arts are not forgotten.
Dave Rowe is excited about channeling the values of community service and commitment to the citizens of Humboldt toward becoming a city councillor.