After three decades of dedicated service, Estevan’s long-time Mayor Roy Ludwig is set to step down, marking the end of an era in local politics. Reflecting on his nine terms as both councillor and mayor, Ludwig spoke about the community achievements, challenges overcome, and the teamwork that made his time in office so fulfilling.
Ludwig said the most impactful part of his tenure was working with various people in the community to tackle challenges and celebrate wins. “One of the main highlights would be, I think, the opportunity to work with a lot of great people, do a lot of problem-solving over the years with different views, challenges and perspectives. That’s been very rewarding.”
Among his most notable projects was the construction of Affinity Place, for which he served as chair. “That was a six-year project and very rewarding, working through all the challenges. But it worked out well, and now we have a beautiful building in our city,” he said. “There’s something to be proud of in this part of the province.”
He added that the water line to Rafferty Dam was also a significant project. “We used to, and still can, draw water from Boundary Dam. But it was getting harder and harder to treat. Now, with the 15-kilometre pipeline to Rafferty, we’ve got a better water supply that meets all the parameters. It was a total win-win to get that built.” Ludwig also cited the walking paths in the city, the refurbishing of the water tower, and hosting the Saskatchewan Summer Games and the Centennial Cup as highlights.
“We’ve had so many great events in our city that I was able to be a part of. It was very rewarding. And again, I can’t claim credit for any of this. It’s all about working together with the council as partners. I mean, we don’t always agree, but that’s democracy,” he said.
Ludwig highlighted the city's significant progress in reducing its debt, which dropped from 45-46 million dollars to 12-13 million over the past three terms, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the council. “I challenge anyone in our province to have paid more debt on a per capita basis than the city of Estevan. We have done a tremendous job getting our financial house in order.”
With the downtown revitalization project on the horizon, Ludwig said he believes it will be a positive addition for Estevan. “People will be able to go downtown and enjoy it in a very pleasant atmosphere. I understand some people tend to be negative, but I think they’ll find, at the end of the day, that this will have been a great project that progresses our city forward.”
Reflecting on what first drew him to politics, Ludwig said he had been a union president at the mine for 13 years when he became frustrated with the current council. Encouraged to run for office to make a difference, he did just that, using his teamwork and problem-solving skills to run a successful campaign. Since then, he has served nine terms, initially with three-year terms, which later became four-year terms.
“There I was, able to do my level best to contribute within a team environment with the councils of the day to, I believe, move the city forward in a positive fashion.”
After three busy decades on council, Ludwig said he looks forward to other projects but at a more relaxed pace. “I’ve got a few other irons in the fire that hopefully won’t keep me as busy as being mayor did."
“I will miss the people I work with. The management team at city hall is second to none. We got a lot of serious things done, but we kept our sense of humour. It’s very important to keep your sense of humour,” he said.
He advised the public to read up on candidates and review public forums ahead of the upcoming election. “Listen to them, see what they have to say, and make an informed decision on who’s going to lead our city in the next four years,” Ludwig said. “I think you want people with a positive vision for our city, people who want to progress it, not just sit on their hands and complain. Anyone can do that. You have to roll up your sleeves and work with council to move our city forward.”
For those running in the election, he stressed the importance of a positive outlook. “It’s important to have a good outlook, to not take the glass-half-empty view. If you’re running a city, you need to stay focused and not let negativity bring you down.”
Ludwig also emphasized the importance of transparency in council, saying information is always available to the public. “Our budget process is totally transparent. Anytime people want to come to city hall, look at our budget, see what we’re planning, it’s all there."
Concluding, Ludwig thanked the community for its support over the years. “After nine elections and 30 years, I’ve found it very rewarding. I hope the community, for the most part, thinks I did a great job. I absolutely appreciate the opportunity to serve the community."