It’s almost the end of the line for Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky.
After two terms as mayor, Jaworsky announced back in February of this year that he will not be seeking a third term.
According to Jaworsky, his decision to step aside wasn’t easy.
“The reality is I was thinking in September of last year that I was going to run, I had a campaign theme picked out and was ready to go,” Jaworsky said.
He said his plans were put on hold when a friend asked him why he wanted to run.
According to Jaworsky, after some reflection, he decided it was time to step down, and enjoy a slower pace of life.
“One of the things that when you are mayor, there are events all the time, I remember one time [in] 2015, Berry (Vrbanovic) and I did 17 events in one weekend,” he said. “The reality is you’re not at home with your family, and it just makes life difficult after eight years. There’s so much more to life to enjoy.”
Another reason for stepping aside, Jaworsky said, is because many projects council took on over the last eight years are completed or nearly finished. He pointed to the expanded Waterloo Recreation Complex, the new Eastside Public Library, the revitalization of Uptown and the restoration of Silver Lake in Waterloo Park as examples.
Looking ahead, Jaworsky sees some major challenges facing the new mayor and council over the next four years.
“The newcomers are going to face an inflation and affordability crisis, along with affordable housing needs, homelessness needs as well, also climate change,” he said.
Jaworsky said while he is leaving politics, he is not leaving the community, and will be looking to help volunteer.
“We have 2,000 local charities in Waterloo Region, all of them need help, either time, talent or treasure. In my case, I hope to put my thoughts to solve some of key issues in our community.”
The final day to vote in the 2022 municipal election is Monday, Oct. 24. You can find more information about the election and candidates running for mayor of Waterloo here.
