A long-time Sylvan Laker, mother, step-mother, communications professional, and former two-term council member Megan Hanson is Sylvan Lake’s new mayor-elect.
Hanson, 34, said, “It’s pretty exciting. You put the work out there, but you just never know how that’s going to be received. I’m excited to get back to work.”
Hanson was one of two mayoral contenders, running against Ted Iverson in the Oct. 18 municipal election.
When asked about future goals for the town, Hanson said, “I think the first step, as soon as the results are announced, is to get together with the new team and find out where everyone else’s priorities are, and just go from there.
“I think probably one of the biggest things that we have to do first is just to reconnect our community. It’s been a tough couple of years, and I think elections are always a bit divisive, so it’ll certainly be nice to just get everyone reconnected and get back together and start there.”
Hanson said that she misses the friendly interactions with neighbours, and hopes to find ways to reconnect community and keep the small-town spirit alive.
Hanson said about community interactions, “I think that’s been really lost in the last couple of years because everyone’s got such a strong opinion, and that’s okay! But at times we’ve lost a bit of that connection because of COVID, when there are people we don’t agree with. I think it’s time to get back to reconnecting and realizing we’re all in this community together.”
Born and brought up in Castlegar, B.C., Hanson relocated to Sylvan Lake in her late-teens. “I’ve been out here for almost 15 years now,” said Hanson, adding, “My dad was actually a councillor in my hometown. So, I think it was always a little bit in my blood.”
Hanson appreciates each candidate’s efforts in coming forward to support the town.
“You have to be really brave to put your name forward, in any capacity, whether that’s for councillor or for mayor, and I think everyone that did it, did it with the best of intentions…they wanted to use their own ideas and priorities to make it better. I really appreciate that we had 16 strong candidates, and I look forward to working with all of them if not on council, then in another capacity in town,” she concluded.
Results will be official at noon, Oct. 22.