John Gilvesy running for councillor position

John Gilvesy. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A local business owner was the last person to register to run for Tillsonburg council.

John Gilvesy owns Gentrac Building Corporation with his wife Sandra. The business won the Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce’s Environment Award. With affiliates, Gentrac more recently created Wood Haven subdivision and condominiums off Baldwin Street.

“I have been trained to solve problems, broker transactions, build, and protect,” Gilvesy said.

Raised on the local family farm and surrounded by faith, he came to appreciate his good fortune. Gilvesy recognizes the importance of hard work, location, land, property rights, and freedoms. He graduated from Western University with an engineering degree, then completed an MBA at the University of British Columbia. His career has included real estate management, sales, leasing, development, and construction.

Gilvesy has been heavily involved as a volunteer in Tillsonburg, as a long-time Rotary member, and as a district governor of Rotary International. He served as president of the Tillsonburg Real Estate Board, is a director with Goodwill Industries, and was a chair and director with Tillsonburg Hydro Inc. He has also volunteered to administer polio vaccination in India.

“Effective municipal government requires a diverse skill matrix - preferably with members bringing their own unique abilities,” Gilvesy maintains.

He wants to focus on six priorities if elected:

Public Safety: Keeping our community safe and secure, including exceptional cyber, police and fire services.

Infrastructure: Smart, financially responsible growth, including proactive maintenance and expansion of utilities and infrastructure, reliable backup plans, and a vibrant, prosperous downtown.

Economic Vitality: Fostering conditions that attract quality industries, developers,

retailers, services, citizens - and their children.

Fiscal Responsibility: Spending taxpayer money wisely and mitigating risks.

A Healthy Environment: Striving to provide exceptional community health care, and educational, recreational, entertainment and cultural opportunities to benefit allresidents - youth, families and seniors.

Compassionate Solutions: Finding practical alternatives that create dignity for those living with disabilities, struggling to manage, and our homeless.

Gilvesy considers he has been fortunate to travel and has seen both extreme poverty and wealth around the world. He often reflects on the words of former mayor Cam McKnight, "Canada is the best country in the world, and Tillsonburg is the best community in Canada."