Paul McDonell is running for Burnaby city council with the Burnaby Citizens Association:
Paul McDonell is seeking re-election to Burnaby city council because he believes this city is a great place to live, work and play and he wants to contribute his abilities and experiences to make Burnaby even better. As he says, "I want to give back to my community."
Paul is a tireless and dedicated community activist and admits he truly enjoys speaking with constituents, listening to opinions and advice and working together to help make the community the best it can be. He states, "I realize it isn't possible to satisfy all the people all the time, but you have to listen and have an open mind and make decisions based on all the information that's available."
Now in his early seventies, Paul has been a Burnaby resident since 1964 when he bought his first house at Rumble Street and Gilley Avenue. His career as a firefighter and rescue service worker led to his extensive involvement in numerous community organizations over the years, including the Muscular Dystrophy Society and the United Way.
During the past two decades, Paul's service to the community has been recognized with numerous awards. He has held leadership roles with the Burnaby parks board, Burnaby health board and Simon Fraser health board.
Paul has been instrumental in building partnerships that have advanced numerous successful initiatives, including the mural program, the Edmonds Santa Claus Parade and the Edmonds city fair that now includes the classic car show.
He is a natural in leading the city's social issues committee and is also focused on enhancing opportunities and services for seniors as Burnaby heads into 2012 as host of the B.C. Seniors Games.
