Druh Farrell
Druh Farrell | |
|---|---|
 Farrell in 2023 | |
| City of Calgary Councillor for Ward 7 | |
| In office October 2001 – October 25, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Bev Longstaff |
| Succeeded by | Terry Wong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1958 or 1959 (age 65–66)[1] Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic |
| Alma mater | Form and Function Design Academy |
Druh Farrell (born 1958 or 1959) is a municipal politician who formerly served as Councillor for Ward 7 in Calgary, Alberta. She was first elected in 2001.
Career before politics
[edit]Prior to being elected in 2001, Farrell was a fashion designer and clothing manufacturer,[2] and served as board member of the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Association and chair of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Planning and Development committee, co-founder and chairwoman of the Inner-City Coalition,[3] and manager of the Kensington Business Revitalization Zone Association.[4]
Electoral record
[edit]| Ward 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Druh Farrell | 7,687 | 44.4% |
| Augustine Joseph Barron | 3,565 | 20.6% |
| Margot Aftergood | 2,079 | 12.0% |
| Kendrick L. Charles | 1,733 | 10.0% |
| Harvey Cohen | 1,214 | 7.0% |
| Jon Adams | 743 | 4.3% |
| Wyatt-James Taylor McIntyre | 289 | 1.7% |
Farrell was reelected to serve Ward 7 in 2004 for a 3-year term by acclamation, having run unopposed.[6]
| Ward 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Druh Farrell | 8,998 | 68.9% |
| Barry Elridge | 2,249 | 17.2% |
| Merle Terlesky | 1,280 | 9.8% |
| Jag Aithal | 532 | 4.1% |
| Ward 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Druh Farrell | 11,910 | 42.9% |
| Kevin Taylor | 10,658 | 38.4% |
| Jim Pilling | 2,621 | 9.4% |
| Elizabeth Ann Cook | 1,367 | 4.9% |
| Michael Krisko | 1,204 | 4.3% |
| Ward 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Druh Farrell | 8,923 | 37.5% |
| Kevin Taylor | 6,600 | 27.7% |
| Brent Alexander | 6,299 | 26.5% |
| Joylin Nodwell | 1,988 | 8.3% |
| Ward 7 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
| Druh Farrell | 9,753 | 41.0% |
| Brent Alexander | 8,916 | 37.5% |
| Dean Brawn | 2,882 | 12.1% |
| Margot Aftergood | 1,765 | 7.4% |
| Marek Hejduk | 456 | 1.9% |
On February 22, 2021, Farrell announced she would not be running for reelection in the 2021 Calgary municipal election.[11]
31st Alberta general election
[edit]After controversy alledging party officials' bias towards Farrell, on May 13, 2022, Farell won the nomination to become the Alberta NDP candidate for Calgary-Bow in the 2023 Alberta general election.[12]
| 2023 Alberta general election: Calgary-Bow | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| United Conservative | Demetrios Nicolaides | 13,175 | 49.74 | -6.15 | ||||
| New Democratic | Druh Farrell | 12,552 | 47.39 | +13.23 | ||||
| Alberta Party | Paul Godard | 670 | 2.53 | -4.56 | ||||
| Solidarity Movement | Manuel Santos | 89 | 0.34 | – | ||||
| Total | 26,486 | 99.29 | – | |||||
| Rejected and declined | 190 | 0.71 | ||||||
| Turnout | 26,676 | 66.43 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 40,159 | |||||||
| United Conservative hold | Swing | -9.69 | ||||||
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[13] | ||||||||
Tenure as city councillor
[edit]Peace Bridge
[edit]The $24.5-million Peace Bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava on the Bow River between Eau Claire and Sunnyside, was a "controversial" project from its onset with many people considering it to be an "unnecessary extravagance." Farrell was a vocal supporter of the footbridge and as a result she "became the human shield at which many strangers directed their intense anger."[14] On March 24, 2012, "thousands of Calgarians flooded onto the [bridge] to celebrate its opening." About 6,000 people use it daily. It quickly became a "tourist magnet"−the "most photographed structure in Calgary". It ranked among the top ten architectural projects[15] and public spaces of 2012.[16]
Walk21 Microgrants
[edit]The $172,500 Walk21 Community Microgrants Council Innovation Fund Application created by Farrell, Gian-Carlo Carra and Brian Pincott was approved by City Council on April 10, 2017.[17] The program, which coincides with an international conference on walking hosted at the University of Calgary in September, will provide $112,500 for about 150 walking improvement community projects, which is about eight per ward to be completed by 2020. It celebrates Canada's 150th birthday.[18] Photos of the arching rainbow under the LRT bridge by Kensington's Riley Park, one of the Walk21 Microgrants projects, were widely shared on Instagram.[19]
Aquatic wheel chairs pilot project
[edit]Calgary’s Parks Department purchased three "water-hardy wheelchairs" which are currently available at Canmore, Rotary and South Glenmore/Variety splash parks as part of their accessibility initiative. Farrell had suggested the idea to Parks after she had heard about aquatic wheel chairs in an American water park.[20]
Terrigno Law Suit
[edit]In May 2017, the Terrigno family served Farrell with a lawsuit related to a 2015 failed land use rezoning application regarding their building after City Councillors voted to reject their application on May 11, 2015[21][22] The lawsuit alleged that Farrell used her position and power to kill the proposed development which was less than 100 meters from her home.[22] In June 2017, Farrell filed a statement of defence, saying the lawsuit is intended to injure her reputation ahead of the October 2017 municipal election.[23] The case and two appeals were all dismissed.[24]
Vote Against New Communities
[edit]Along with Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Farrell was the only councillor to vote against a proposal for 14 new edge communities in July 2018.[25]
Opposition from Save Calgary PAC
[edit]Farrell is one of five incumbents in the October 2017 Calgary elections, targeted with negative publicity by the newly formed Save Calgary political action committee (PAC), who also target councillors Gian-Carlo Carra, Diane Colley-Urquhart, Evan Woolley and Mayor Naheed Nenshi.[26][27][28]
References
[edit]- ^ "Druh Farrell - Council candidate for Ward 7". Archived from the original on 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
- ^ Summerfield, Robin (October 14, 2001). "Seven vie for Ward 7 vote: [Final Edition]". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Canadian Newsstand Complete.
- ^ Collins, Ron (January 29, 1999). "Property tax notices delayed till March: [Final Edition]". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Canadian Newsstand Complete.
- ^ Pommer, David (May 16, 1999). "Kensington businesses protest traffic proposal: City studying changes for Louise Bridge: [Final Edition]". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Canadian Newsstand Complete.
- ^ City of Calgary. "Unofficial Results - 2001 Civic Election". The City of Calgary Newsroom. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2004 Official Results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on November 11, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2007 Unofficial results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2010 Official Results" (PDF). City of Calgary. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2013 Official Results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2013 Official Results". City of Calgary. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- ^ "Ward 7 Calgary Coun. Druh Farrell not running for re-election in October - Calgary | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
- ^ "Druh Farrell wins nomination to become NDP candidate in Calgary-Bow". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
- ^ "03 - Calgary-Bow". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ "The "little red bridge" that divided a city turns five". Calgary Herald. March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "2012 in review: Top 10 projects". Azure Magazine. 20 December 2012.
- ^ "Top ten public spaces". Design Boom. 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Calgary $172K walking microgrants a hit with some, miss for others on council: Walk21 Microgrants will give Calgary neighbourhoods a chance to come up with their own traffic solving problems". Calgary: Metro News. April 10, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ Klingbeil, Annalise (April 10, 2017). "Calgary council OKs $172K in micro-grants to improve street walkability". Calgary Herald. Calgary. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "This rainbow bridge by Riley Park has been taking over Instagram". Daily Hive. August 31, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "City of Calgary pilots aquatic wheel chairs in splash parks: Water-safe chairs will help make splash play accessible for parents and children in three of Calgary's parks". Metro News. August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "'It's an abuse:' Terrigno lawsuit asks Farrell to pay her own legal bills". Metro News. August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ a b Grant, Meghan (May 23, 2017). "Calgary Coun. Druh Farrell should be ousted for 'targeted malice' toward Kensington tower, lawsuit alleges: Documents say conflict with owners of Osteria de Medici property and Farrell dates back to 2008". CBC News. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ Anderson, Drew (June 9, 2017). "Coun. Druh Farrell files defence against lawsuit, says it's politically motivated: Terrigno family is suing the local politician, alleging interference in a development proposal". CBC News. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ Franklin, Michael (9 November 2023). "Appeal court dismisses 'unusual case' involving former Calgary city councillor". CTV News. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "Council approves 14 new neighbourhoods, but experts say plans will worsen sprawl?".
- ^ Fletcher, Robson; Anderson, Drew (August 28, 2017). "Save Calgary's campaign against city councillors raises questions about 3rd-party electoral laws: What's Save Calgary? It's not easy to find out, and some say that's a problem for democracy". CBC News. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ "About". Save Calgary. nd. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
- ^ Julie, Alyssa (August 29, 2017). "Mayor Nenshi, Druh Farrell tell Save Calgary group to 'stop hiding behind anonymity'". Global News. Retrieved August 31, 2017.