The election winner in Ward 29 addressed her supporters with the same theme of change she employed during the campaign.
The retirement of Case Ootes in Toronto-Danforth sparked one of the most hotly contested council races in Toronto.
Mary Fragedakis claimed a resounding victory Monday night, over a strong field of candidates, including Jane Pitfield, Chris Caldwell and Jennifer Wood. Fragedakis received almost 42 per cent of the vote, with Jane Pitfield the runner-up receiving approximately 28 per cent.
Fragedakis pledged to bring change to a riding that belonged to Coun. Case Ootes for almost 15 years.
“We haven’t been consulted. We haven’t had parks updated and no one has addressed issues important to young families like the lack of daycare or issues of access to seniors,” Fragedakis said. “That is going to change!”
Fragedakis’s priorities include preserving and expanding green space, supporting more bike lanes and public transit.
“The TTC is too valuable to privatize,” Fragedakis declared. “The TTC moves thousands of people every day and that number is growing. I will vote to keep the TTC in city hands. I will work to strengthen its services, see that it runs efficiently and expand service via Transit City.”
The NDP provided Fragedakis with plenty of support. Endorsements came from former East York Mayor Michael Prue and Toronto-Danforth NDP MPP Peter Tabuns as well as Federal NDP leader and Toronto-Danforth MP Jack Layton.
“We have a mayor who has been elected and should be congratulated,” he said. “But he also needs to know that he’s going to have to work with people who have a progressive vision of this city and they’re all going to have to work together.”