Longtime Squamish community leader, arts advocate, and Squamish Sunshine Choir director Ian Brown has announced his candidacy for Squamish District Council in the upcoming municipal election, citing 12 years of community involvement as the foundation for his campaign.
According to the news release by Brown, he continued holding weekly sing-along sessions for local seniors after COVID-19 closures in 2020, loading his piano and PA equipment into his pickup truck and performing from outside Hilltop House and Shannon Falls Residence for more than a year. CTV News named him a Community Hero in February 2023.
Brown currently chairs the Hilltop House Family Council, serves on the boards of Squamish Arts and the Brackendale Art Gallery, and directs the Squamish Sunshine Choir. According to the news release, he leads regular sing-along sessions for seniors at Hilltop House, Shannon Falls Residence and the 55 Activity Centre.
His campaign priorities include affordable housing, ensuring new development covers its infrastructure costs, expanded options for seniors to age in place, funding for arts, culture and heritage, environmental protection and emergency preparedness, and improvements to parks and recreation.
Brown also supports implementing the Recreation Centre Task Force strategy, including expanding the recreation centre and rebuilding a soccer pavilion.
Brown said he wants Squamish to maintain its quality of life and identity while supporting health and welfare, economic growth and responsible fiscal management. He also identified parking, traffic flow, public transportation, high property taxes, and public safety as issues he wants to address if elected.
