Skip to content

Arts and economics interest council hopeful

Building a bright future in community a strong motivator
Paul Galinski

Jim Baron is hoping that election day in November will by a Holly day.

The Buddy Holly impersonator is seeking a seat on Powell River city council.

Baron said he views this opportunity as a chance to represent and serve the many hardworking people in Powell River.

“When I first came to Powell River with my family to teach at Assumption School, I was amazed at the thriving arts community and the entrepreneurial nature of the city,” Baron said. “Being an avid fisherman and outdoors person, I was also struck by the potential for expanded tourism. Through my music I have been able to meet a wide variety of people and I have developed a strong interest in the community at large.”

Baron said he has special interest in the continued development and growth of the arts in Powell River.

“As an artist and a musician it is important for me that we can continue to find ways for Powell River to continue to be [a cultural] capital of Canada,” he said.

After his many talks with small business owners, Baron said he sees potential for economic growth being streamlined with the help of city council.

“Being a homeowner myself, I know we must find creative ways to expand the taxpaying base and lower taxes,” Baron said.

“I am always willing to listen to the thoughts and concerns of all of the people of Powell River and I would like to do my part in building a bright future.”

This community is evolving, Baron said.

“There are new people coming in. Powell River, strangely enough, went against the trend and the population increased. This was a surprise to some people who thought it was slowly headed downhill.”

Baron said people who have lived in this community their entire lives have seen change, and some are worried about which way it is going.

“It’s like anything; as things change, new ideas are embraced,” he said. “The city has come from having one of the largest and most productive mills in the world, but it has scaled down to the point where it is less and less a factor.”

Baron said he would like to see a community where after finishing school, young people would not have to leave because there is nothing for them here.

Powell River has great lifestyle and that should be in the forefront of efforts to attract expansion of the business base, according to Baron.

“When I first came to Powell River, I was impressed by the beauty, the lakes, the outdoor lifestyle and I thought this is one of the best kept secrets. I know there are those that want to keep it a secret, and that’s a problem, because without growth and new jobs, we can’t continue to have this utopian lifestyle.”

Baron is impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit in the community. With the changing dynamic of the local economy, some people have had to create their own jobs to remain here and have become successful.

Baron discovered when he moved here instrument makers selling their wares worldwide and artists displaying their works in galleries in some of the world’s art capitals. A friend of his is working with a computer group that is affecting industries in the United Kingdom, demonstrating that in the wired world, possibilities are endless, he said.