Druh Farrell
Druh Farrell, 2010
City of Calgary Councillor
In office
October 2001 – October 25, 2021
Preceded byBev Longstaff
Succeeded byTerry Wong
ConstituencyWard 7
Personal details
Born1958 or 1959 (age 64–65)[1]
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic
Alma materForm and Function Design Academy
WebsiteCity of Calgary Website
Official Facebook
Official Twitter

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

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

2001 municipal election

Farrell was first elected to represent Ward 7 for a 3-year term by winning 44% of the vote.[5]

2004 municipal election

Farrell was reelected to serve Ward 7 in 2004 for a 3-year term by acclamation, having run unopposed.[6]

2007 municipal election

Farrell handily won reelection to represent Ward 7 in 2007 for a 3-year term by taking 69% of the vote.[7]

2010 municipal election

Farrell was reelected to serve Ward 7 in the 2010 election for a 3-year term, taking 43% of the votes in a closely contested battle over runner-up Kevin Taylor, who took 38%.[8]

2013 municipal election

Farrell was reelected to represent Ward 7 in the 2013 election for a 4-year term by capturing 37% of the votes. In 2nd place with 28% was Kevin Taylor, followed closely by Brent Alexander with 26%.[9]

2017 municipal election

Farrell was reelected to serve Ward 7 in the 2017 election for a 4-year term with 41.0% of the vote. Her only close competitor in This election was Brent Alexander, who garnered 37.5%.[10]

2021 municipal election

On February 22, 2021, Farrell announced she would not be running for reelection in 2021.[11]

31st Alberta general election

After a controversy over her “hand-picked” and "pushed through" nomination[12] Farell won the nomination to become the Alberta NDP candidate for Calgary-Bow in the 31st Aberta general election.[13]She lost.[14]

2023 Alberta general election: Calgary-Bow
Party Candidate Votes%±%
United ConservativeDemetrios Nicolaides13,17549.74-6.15
New DemocraticDruh Farrell12,55247.39+13.23
Alberta PartyPaul Godard6702.53-4.56
Solidarity MovementManuel Santos890.34–
Total 26,48699.29–
Rejected and declined 1900.71
Turnout 26,67666.43
Eligible voters 40,159
United Conservative hold Swing -9.69
Source(s)
Source: Elections Alberta[15]

Tenure as city councillor

Peace Bridge

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."[16] 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[17] and public spaces of 2012.[18]

Walk21 Microgrants

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.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21]

Aquatic wheel chairs pilot project

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.[22]

Terrigno Law Suit

In May 2017, the Terrigno family served Farrell with a lawsuit related to a 2015 failed land use rezoning application regarding their building on the corner of 10th Street and Kensington Road. City Councillors voted to reject their application on May 11, 2015[23] with Farrell, Evan Woolley, Gian-Carlo Carra, Diane Colley-Urquhart, Richard Pootmans, Jim Stevenson, Brian Pincott and Naheed Nenshi voting against the Terrignos' application and Ward Sutherland, Andre Chabot, Peter Demong, Sean Chu, Joe Magliocca and Shane Keating voting for the rezoning.[24] In June 2017, Farrell filed a "statement of defence, saying the [2017] lawsuit is intended to injure her reputation ahead of the October 2017 municipal election."[25] In February 2015, Mike Terrigno represented the family in the development zoning application at the Calgary Planning Commission meeting. Calgary Planning Commission's recommendation was that the re-zoning application should be refused. Their application for the development of a 10-storey condo and commercial tower on the restaurant site provoked intense opposition from community planners. The meeting was called to an abrupt halt when "Terrigno's actions in the hallway prompted police complaints from community planners and a city hall security investigation following an exchange with a city employee."[26][27] In 2010 Maurizio Terrigno opened a "giant Stampede party and entertainment tent" on the Osteria site which operated for the duration of the Stampede every year and[28] which, according to Calgary Herald journalist Jason Markusoff, was "notoriously raucous."[26] In their lawsuit, the Terrignos alleged that Farrell, whose private residence is very near the Osteria, "compelled" bylaw officers to monitor the Stampede party.[25]

Vote Against New Communities

Along with Mayor Naheed Nenshi, Farrell was the only councillor to vote against a proposal for 14 new edge communities in July 2018.[29]

Opposition from Save Calgary PAC

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.[30][31][32]

References

  1. ↑ "Druh Farrell - Council candidate for Ward 7". Archived from the original on 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  2. ↑ Summerfield, Robin (October 14, 2001). "Seven vie for Ward 7 vote: [Final Edition]". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Canadian Newsstand Complete.
  3. ↑ Collins, Ron (January 29, 1999). "Property tax notices delayed till March: [Final Edition]". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Canadian Newsstand Complete.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2001 Unofficial Results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on November 8, 2001. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2004 Official Results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on November 11, 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2007 Unofficial results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2010 Official Results" (PDF). City of Calgary. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2013 Official Results". City of Calgary. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Calgary municipal election, 2013 Official Results". City of Calgary. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Ward 7 Calgary Coun. Druh Farrell not running for re-election in October - Calgary | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  12. ↑ "NDP Calgary-Bow president steps down after Druh Farrell's nomination bid". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  13. ↑ "Druh Farrell wins nomination to become NDP candidate in Calgary-Bow". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  14. ↑ "Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides held off NDP candidate Druh Farrell in Calgary-Bow". calgaryherald. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  15. ↑ "03 - Calgary-Bow". officialresults.elections.ab.ca. Elections Alberta. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  16. ↑ "The "little red bridge" that divided a city turns five". Calgary Herald. March 24, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  17. ↑ "2012 in review: Top 10 projects". Azure Magazine.
  18. ↑ "Top ten public spaces". Design Boom.
  19. ↑ "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.
  20. ↑ Klingbeil, Annalise (April 10, 2017). "Calgary council OKs $172K in micro-grants to improve street walkability". Calgary Herald. Calgary. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  21. ↑ "This rainbow bridge by Riley Park has been taking over Instagram". Daily Hive. August 31, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  22. ↑ "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.
  23. ↑ "'It's an abuse:' Terrigno lawsuit asks Farrell to pay her own legal bills". Metro News. August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. 1 2 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.
  26. 1 2 Markusoff, Jason (May 12, 2015). "Council rejects Kensington restaurant redevelopment after rocky past". Calgary Herald. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  27. ↑ Markusoff, Jason (February 27, 2015). "Planning meeting incidents spark police investigation". Calgary Herald. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  28. ↑ Fortney, Valerie (July 12, 2010). "Upscale dining meets Stampede party tent fever: a grand opening of a new Stampede party venue features fine wines and fancy cheeses". Calgary Herald. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Council approves 14 new neighbourhoods, but experts say plans will worsen sprawl?".
  30. ↑ 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.
  31. ↑ "About". Save Calgary. nd. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  32. ↑ Julie, Alyssa (August 29, 2017). "Mayor Nenshi, Druh Farrell tell Save Calgary group to 'stop hiding behind anonymity'". Global News. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
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