Todd McKenzie knows he has 香蕉视频直播渂ig shoes to fill香蕉视频直播� in serving as the next Oyama ward representative on Lake Country council.

McKenzie will join Lake Country council replacing the late Owen Dickie as Oyama香蕉视频直播檚 council rep.

香蕉视频直播淥wen obviously liked his community and was very available all the time for people to bend his ear, both good and bad. We were neighbours and lived on the same street so we used to walk our dogs together. He was always looking for ways to improve his community,香蕉视频直播� McKenzie said.

Dickie passed away earlier this year, and the by-election nomination deadline to determine his replacement on council saw McKenzie as the lone nominee to step forward.

A similar by-election required for Carr香蕉视频直播檚 Landing saw three people nominated to run for the ward seat vacated by Matt Vader, who stepped aside to take on an administrative position with the district.

McKenzie, 49, said he was prepared for an election campaign, 香蕉视频直播渓ooking forward to the challenge,香蕉视频直播� only to have the elected post drop in his lap uncontested.

香蕉视频直播淚 have mixed feelings about that as I was excited for the opportunity to run for the seat on council, then you start to wonder a little why nobody else wanted the job.香蕉视频直播�

But McKenzie said his feelings about being handed the job have been placated by others on council and in the community reaching out to congratulate and welcome him to council.

One of those callers was Dickie香蕉视频直播檚 wife, who offered her support to him, to do anything she could to help him with the transition into civic politics.

香蕉视频直播淚 definitely feel welcomed by a lot of people that will to help and support me and that香蕉视频直播檚 been nice to hear,香蕉视频直播� McKenzie said.

Besides talking with Dickie on the canine walking trail, McKenzie says Coun. Blair Ireland, who he coached minor league soccer with, has helped give him an assessment of what to expect, and he香蕉视频直播檚 had opportunity to talk with Mayor James Baker about particular issues in the past.

As a rec hockey goaltender, McKenzie used the hockey analogy of joining a new team and feeling more comfortable when you already know some of the players.

McKenzie moved to Oyama a decade ago with his wife Tena, who works at UBC Okanagan, where they have chosen to raise their two kids.

McKenzie was born in Toronto but essentially grew up in Armstrong, then lived in Clearwater, before moving back to the Okanagan Valley at age 19.

He says living in Oyama feels like 香蕉视频直播渨e are always on vacation,香蕉视频直播� saying the rural setting lends to an enjoyable rural lifestyle while not being too far away from larger city amenities.

He works in industrial equipment sales, and enjoys spending time fishing, biking, boating and playing hockey.

香蕉视频直播淭hey always say the worst day of fishing is better than our best day at work,香蕉视频直播� he laughed.

香蕉视频直播淚 am grateful to live in such a great place that is full of opportunities.香蕉视频直播�

Protecting that lifestyle against the pressures of urbanization is one issue that McKenzie says he expects to face in his initial 16-month term in office before the next municipal election.

香蕉视频直播淭here is a lot of construction going on in Oyama now and we see how Winfield is growing at a fast rate,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can香蕉视频直播檛 make everyone happy but I do want to see that all this development is handled the best it can be from our community香蕉视频直播檚 perspective.

香蕉视频直播淚 have a month here to work on getting up to speed as quick as I can before getting sworn in on July 4 on what council is dealing with, and go from there.香蕉视频直播�