A year ago at this time, Jillian Merrick was a regular fixture at City Hall during council meetings.
She would sit in chambers, following discussions, taking notes and educating herself on policy, procedure and the issues.
In early September, she announced her candidacy for city council.
She was respected for her community involvement, starting during her time as a UNBC student where she served as president of the undergraduate society, and her work since then with Community Futures but her age (29) and her low profile compared to some of her opposition looked like insurmountable obstacles.
Longtime observers of local politics gave her an outside chance at best of getting elected.
Her tireless campaign helped her beat the odds.
Most impressive of all, she pushed her own agenda, staying true to herself and her core beliefs, and simply asked others with similar views to support her.
That fearlessness and energy seem to be part of her character because she has not slowed down a step since taking office.
This time three years ago, Frank Everitt and Lyn Hall were easing into their roles as first-time city councillors, careful to avoid political landmines.
Anyone expecting Merrick to take a similar approach, staying quiet as she learned the ropes from more seasoned political players has been in for a surprise.
She has her agenda and she is pursuing it relentlessly.
A former president of the Prince George Cycling Club, Merrick is leading the charge on improved public transit and more and better bike lanes on roads across the city.
During Thursday's announcement of $250,000 from the provincial government to help pay for bike lane improvement, Merrick served notice that local drivers are going to have to change their habits.
She announced her plans for a motion before city council to prohibit vehicles from parking in bike lanes.
That is sacrilege for Prince George drivers who think it is their God-given right to park wherever they want for as long as they want. The fight will be on with soccer parents who take up the bike lanes along Ospika Boulevard to bring the kids to the Rotary Soccer Fields, instead of parking in the Exhibition Grounds parking lot and crossing 18th Avenue.
Parents at various schools (College Heights secondary, the Montessori school at Gladstone, Lac De Bois, Duchess Park, to name a few) also won't be thrilled at having to park or drop off or pick up off major throughfares, a little further way.
The problem is she's right.
A cyclist was killed in Kelowna last week when a car stopped in a bike lane and the driver threw open their vehicle door, right into the path of an oncoming cyclist. It is a small miracle no one has been killed or seriously injured parking on the opposite side of Ospika Boulevard and crossing four lanes of traffic to get to the soccer fields, never mind taking lanes from cyclists and forcing them into traffic. The nearby parking lots for CN Centre and the Exhibitions have more than enough space and crossing 18th Avenue is much safer, for adults and children.
Merrick won't be happy with a toothless bylaw. She'll also push bylaw enforcement to ticket vehicles parked in bike lanes, particularly on busy roadways like Ospika Boulevard. The letters to the editor and online commentary will likely be long and loud. Don't expect Merrick to be swayed.
On other political fronts, Merrick is equally fearless. She's questioned the long-term sustainability of the Pine Valley Golf Course, raising the ire of seniors and community members who enjoy the cheap green fees and the easy access. When members of the old guard gave her an earful about the changing of the name of Fort George Park, she stood her ground and politely and respectfully told them they were wrong. There was no mistaking where she stood.
Merrick is surrounded by able mentors on city council and she is no doubt watching and learning but she's also showing her own leadership drive. She's rallying support for her initiatives from everywhere, she's encouraging residents to support her vision for a better city and she's pushing her council colleagues to keep up.
Too early to call Merrick a mayor (or an MLA or MP) in waiting yet but she's off to a great start in the political arena.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
