Acting as a conduit to bring people's concerns to town council's table is among the reasons one of two candidates running in Sundre's coming byelection decided to get involved in the process.
“I've always been interested in politics and I feel I'm at the perfect age to engage in this process,” said Tamara Smith during a recent interview with the Round Up.
“Whether I win or lose, I'm looking forward to the excitement and the challenge.”
Smith enjoys Sundre's small town atmosphere, and said that even though the economy is experiencing an extended downturn, the local business community seems to be faring rather well.
A thriving community becomes that much more of a draw to entice people to visit and stay for the weekend, potentially planting seeds for future residents or new businesses, she said. More shops mean more opportunities, which are not in short supply, she added. All of the local outdoor recreational options also cater to a wide variety of interests for people who have an affinity for the West Country, she said.
“I call it God's country.”
Her background experience largely stems from owning and operating four hair studios in B.C., some of which she built from the ground up and later went on to sell.
“I've been an entrepreneur since my early 20s,” she said, adding the shops she sold remain in business to this day.
A resident of Sundre for almost six years, Smith said she and her husband Peter moved here from Invermere, B.C., following the sudden death of her eldest son, who was tragically killed at the age of 19 in a car accident.
“I went into a grieving hiatus,” she said.
Working towards recently setting up a new business in Sundre called the Rock Chest helped Smith work through the grief of losing of her son. As a reiki master and health coach, she expressed a desire to help change the world for the better one person at a time by being there for anyone in need of support or encouragement.
“I'm here now because I've walked that path. There is life after losing a child, although for a while I thought I wasn't going to make it through.”
The couple also has a son who is a businessman in B.C.
“He's married and gifted us with three beautiful grandchildren,” she said.
Her husband Peter went to Olds College, and they decided Sundre would be the ideal location to set down roots.
“It feels like we're in the country, even though we're right in town. It's like the best of both worlds.”
She also decided to get involved as a volunteer mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, which started up in Sundre last fall, and spends time Thursdays building a bond with her eight-year-old “little sister”.
If elected, Smith said she looks forward to joining council and working with town officials towards helping Sundre become an even better community that's recognized as a destination.
Among her primary concerns for the community are to work with local stakeholders to ensure the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre does not lose all of its long-term care beds, she said.
Recognizing that individual councillors are part of a team and cannot effectuate change alone, the candidate said she nevertheless also hopes to plant seeds with town council regarding the issue of bullying.
“That's a really big thing for me,” she said.
Smith said people tend to feel comfortable speaking with her and added she would be receptive to the issues residents might raise.
“I want to be like that confidante that people can come to and I'll bring forward their concerns (to council),” she said, adding anyone who's interested is welcome to drop by her shop to chat.
The candidate said she's running for council from her heart, not her ego, and that she hopes to be a voice for the people at council meetings.
“I'm a firm believer that there's a solution to every problem. Through a thought process, anything can be accomplished.”
The main election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 21 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at town chambers, located at 717 Main Avenue West, while the advanced vote will be held at the same location exactly one week prior on Tuesday, June 14 from noon to 4 p.m.
