Kelowna's Civic Election Race Has Officially Begun

The civic election is still months away but the first person to officially announce their intentions to run for city council threw their hat into the ring on Wednesday.

Tracy Gray officially announcing her candidacy (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

Business owner Tracy Gray made the announcement at the Rotary Centre of the Arts in front of a crowd of supporters. Gray, whose husband is the nephew of current Kelowna mayor Walter Gray, says her past experience as a business owner, working on Boards as a Director and having to deal with governance is an advantage for her. Gray says she will run with three main issues in mind.

Tracy Gray (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

“We really need to get Kelowna ready for the next 20 years, we have a lot of important issues coming ahead,” said Gray. “There are three things I want to focus on, growing our community, transportation and service needs, and quality of life.”

Gray went on to say that when it comes to growing the community she would like to see a continued relationship with Okanagan College and UBC-Okanagan, support for small and medium size businesses, and keep commercial taxes down on properties. The founder and owner of Discover Wines says she would also like to focus on valley wide transportation needs and the Okanagan’s water needs over the next 20 years.

Supporters at Tracy Gray's announcement (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

Several well-known people from the community were in attendance to support Gray and her announcement, including Kelowna’s Woman of the Year Rose Sexsmith, View Winery President Jennifer Molgat, Mayor Walter Gray, Mayoral candidate and current city council member Colin Basran and business owner Lloyd Callahan.

Gray with her supporters during her official announcement (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

The civic election will take place in November and will see a new mayor elected as well as seven council members.