Local Aldershot lad wants to make good by getting a seat on city council.

By Pepper Parr

BURLINGTON, ON.

January 12, 2014

“When people use the services we offer – they are buying me” is the way Jason Boelhouwer explains the franchise business he operates, which is the providing of services to people who need help taking care of themselves.

And Boelhouwer wants the people of Aldershot to buy him in the 2014 municipal election because he thinks it’s time for a change.  The incumbent has been in place since 2000 and, Boelhouwer, a believer in term limits, would like to see current Councillor Rick Craven step aside.

Jayson Boelhouwer wants to represent Aldershot at city council. He thinks its time for a change.

Boelhouwer has been involved in Aldershot civic affairs for some time.  He sits on the Plains Road Village Vision, right beside Craven; sits on the Aldershot Business Improvement Area, along with Craven.

Boelhouwer maintains that he had a chat with Rick Craven back in 2010 and let him know then that he was interested in running for the seat at some point.  Boelhouwer says Craven led him to believe that the 2010 term might be his last. “I talked with him again about 18 months ago and began to realize that he might well run again so I decided 2014 was going to be the year I ran for the council seat” said Boelhouwer.

Councillor Craven commented at one time to this reporter that taking a run for the office of Mayor was not out of the question.  Given that he has yet to file his nomination papers – we may see a race for the job of Mayor but it isn’t something I would count on.

The old Mercedes-Benz site was developed into a small housing project. Councillor Craven supported this kind of growth. Boelhouwer doesn’t have a strong position on development other than wanting enough people to draw a supermarket to the west end of the ward.

Jason Boelhouwer is Aldershot born and bred.  He brings all the strengths and weakness a small town produces in a personality. High school was in Aldershot followed by the earning of a degree at Brock University in St. Catharines.

Boelhouwer would not do all that much canvassing door to door. “You spend three hours covering a street and you get to talk to maybe 30 people, that’s not very effective” said Boelhouwer.

He isn’t all that keen on lawn signs either – doesn’t think how a person is going to vote is anyone’s business.   Boelhouwer would choose to put really large signs at major intersections where there is a lot of traffic and speaks the way only someone who knows everyone can speak.  My friend at – and names an intersection – will put up a big sign for me.  He believes as well that having a small sign in the windows of commercial establishments will do the trick.

Will Pluckers become campaign central for Jason Boelhouwer? He kind of likes the fireplace inside.

Boelhouwer plans to sit in front of the fire-place at Pluckers on Plains Road and let people know he is there ready to talk to them.  Id he picks up the bat tab for those that drop by – he will do well.  Otherwise B will not come before C in the final vote count.

Boelhouwer will tell you that there are seven hair dressers in Aldershot but no LCBO or supermarket in the west end of the ward.  The supermarket he understands is because there isn’t the population needed to justify that kind of investment by one of the chains but Boelhouwer points out there has been significant growth in Aldershot population – but he doesn’t speak as if he expects a supermarket in the near future.

Local politics are about pot holes and swimming pools and keeping the roads plowed.  Boelhouwer complains about the parking laybys that don’t get the snow cleared out of them making it difficult for people to park in front of the library for example.

Boelhouwer wants to see a Seniors’ Centre in Aldershot. “Oakville” he explains “has three locations for seniors but Burlington has just the one” and that is too tightly controlled for Boelhouwer’s  liking.

Aldershot really doesn’t have all that much in the way of destinations – there is IKEA at the east end and the RBG at the west end – other than that it’s Tim Hortons if you want to get together with people.

Planters along Plains Road have given what used to be a provincial highway a much more suburban look. Hasn’t slowed traffic down enough for most people – except for those who drive through the community.

Don’t talk to Boelhouwer about traffic – its bumper to bumper starting at about 3:30 he will tell you and they want to cut the west end of Plains Road down to just two lanes – ridiculous from Boelhouwer point of view.

Boelhouwer will give Craven credit for what he has done.  He has achieved what he set out to do – the Waterdown Road ramp to the 403 is in place and the King Road grade separation is done. Boelhouwer   sits on the BIA board and thinks Craven has far too much influence on the job that Bob Meehan does as Executive Director of the association and adds that it was the same with the previous occupant of the job.

Boelhouwer isn’t a fan of the Performing Arts Centre, he wouldn’t have approved the pier.  He did serve on the Museum Board for a period of time.  While Boelhouwer has toured the Performing Arts Centre he has not attended an event.

Earlier in life Jason Boelhouwer played soccer; today that sport is now one he coaches.  Jason and his wife have two children, a daughter in first year at Carleton University in Ottawa and a son at Assumption High in Aldershot.  His wife teaches at the same high school.

So what does he want to see Aldershot grow into?  That’s not entirely clear.  He doesn’t want to see five and six storey buildings going up along Planes Road that come right out to the edge of the sidewalk.  He wants to see more localized transit for people.  He would like to see a Seniors Centre added to the Arena and changes made to the transit service so that they could get to the location. Boelhouwer still calls the place the Kiwanis rink.

Boelhouwer believes he can build his name recognition.  His wife teaches at Assumption, he attended Holy Rosary.  His Mother was once a columnist for the Gazette when it was a print publication.  His is a strong parish member and an active participant in the Men’s club there.

While Boelhouwer  will tell you he does not have an identifiable political affiliation – all his advisers are Tory’s which may be more a reflection of Aldershot than Jason Boelhouwer.

More candidate than Craven could manage? Sandra Pupatello on a trip through town looking for local support for her Liberal leadership bid. Craven was prepared to let the party romance him.

Craven is a known active Liberal, who has toyed with the idea of running against Jane McKenna – he thoroughly trounced her when she took a run at municipal politics in 2010.

Boelhouwer expects it will be difficult to reach the under 40 voters. “They are a disparate group and they are very busy people.  He hopes he can catch some of them at Fortino’s in the east end and at the Aldershot Go station as well.

Boelhouwer comes across as a likeable guy.  Folksy, friendly very much a part of his community.  He isn’t going to set the world on fire, there is no burning objective, there is no “plan”.  What he does want to make very clear is that he isn’t a copy of Rick Craven.

We look forward to what he has to say during the campaign.