Ward 7 Coun. Druh Farrell announced via blog post Monday evening that she won’t be running again in the October municipal election.
In the lengthy blog post about the revitalization of the downtown, and comparing it to the transformation of East Village, Farrell made the announcement.
“I won’t be running for re-election this fall. It won’t be me championing our Downtown into the coming decades,” she said.
“We need bold leadership around the council table to ensure our Downtown is transformed into a true community where people will want to live, work, learn, and play for years to come.”
Farrell, a born-and-raised Calgarian spent 20 years representing Ward 7, first elected in 2001. In the most recent elections Farrell narrowly avoided being unseated as the area rep.
The councillor championed projects like the Peace Bridge, changing Calgary’s perspective on pedestrians, the new Central Library, the River Walk and secondary suites – along with many other community-focused initiatives.
Farrell was also firmly against continued suburban growth in Calgary and applied a climate lens to the decisions made at Calgary city hall.
In a letter to all Calgarians and residents of Ward 7, Farrell said it’s been the most fulfilling career anyone could ask for.
“I never shied away from making tough decisions and I always stayed true to my principles,” Coun. Farrell wrote.
“It has been the honour of a lifetime to serve the people of Calgary and to strive for a more just, more equitable and more forward-thinking world.”
Vacant seats at city hall
Farrell’s decision means that there will be at least six vacant seats this upcoming municipal election.
Wards 3 and 11 have mayoral contenders (Jeromy Farkas and Jyoti Gondek), while Wards 7, 8, 10 and 12 will be open races. That means, out of 15 seats on council, at least six will be new.
Calgary’s municipal election goes October 18, 2021.
