About James Takeo

I’ve lived in Welland for many years, and over that time I’ve spent a lot of it volunteering, creating, organizing events and trying to make my community a little better.

For three years, I was involved with the Welland Downtown BIA. I’ve also served on the City of Welland’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, Waterway Advisory Committee, Active Transportation Advisory Committee, Green Advisory Committee and Council Compensation Review Committee, as well as the Welland Historical Museum board and other community organizations.

Much of my volunteer work has centred around arts and culture, community development, public spaces, the environment and finding creative ways to bring people together.

I’m also the co-founder and organizer of the Welland Zombie Walk, which has brought thousands of people together while collecting donations for local charities. Over the years, I’ve been involved in grassroots projects including the Guerrilla Park Project, Downtown Welland Art Wall, Welland Arts Project and The Hard Way community gallery.

I was also the owner of a small downtown business. Running a business in downtown Welland gave me a very real understanding of the challenges local businesses face, but also the potential that exists here.

I’m not a career politician, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’m just someone who has spent a lot of time in this community, listening, getting involved and trying things.

I care about Welland. I care about its people, its neighbourhoods, its downtown and its future. I believe we can do better, and I think sometimes the best ideas come from simply looking at our city differently.

What I hope to bring to the table is the recommendation of creating a task force and plan as mentioned in previous blog, which is the focus of my attention. I hope this becomes a serious discussion during this campaign for myself and all other candidates.