Meet Neepawa’s new councillor
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/08/2025 (226 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Dave Clark, a lifelong resident of Neepawa, was elected to serve on Neepawa council in a byelection this summer. The Sun caught up with Clark to ask about his thoughts on strengths and weaknesses in town, and why he believes he succeeded with about 75 per cent of 360 votes.
What’s a sacrifice you made to get involved at council?
“There’s going to be decisions made at council that not everybody necessarily is going to agree with. And that could be a potential issue with people that I meet in the street or that I kind of hang around sociably. So I mean, I guess I kind of give up, give up my privacy somewhat, and leave myself open to the criticism. But, I realize that that’s part of the job. And you know, everybody has different passions, and sometimes the decisions that get made at council just might not agree with every resident in Neepawa.”
Dave Clark is sworn in to Neepawa council in July beside CAO Colleen Synchyshyn. (Supplied)
Why do you think people voted for you?
“I’ve been a long-term resident of Neepawa, and I’ve been involved with a lot of sports organizations over the last 20-some years. So I think people know me. They know how I conduct myself on boards. They know that I’m a good listener and don’t jump to conclusions. And you know, I just think that people felt that I would be a good fit with the current council and be able to work with current council and the mayor.”
What’s one of the strengths Neepawa has?
“We’re expanding rapidly. We do have a lot to offer recreationally. You know, there’s great opportunities for industry to come here. You know, we have the new regional hospital going up, which is going to create a lot of new jobs. With that comes growth. And I think we’re, last time I heard, we were one of the fastest growing communities in Manitoba, so I think that’s a strength that Neepawa has right now.”
How could Neepawa use this to its advantage?
“With a new hospital coming, and a new school coming, I think that we can attract professionals to come and live in our community. And I just think that Neepawa is a great little town. It doesn’t lack for a whole lot of things, and it’s kind of like a big city feel but you’re in a small town.”
What’s a problem in Neepawa that council needs to keep an eye on?
“Planning long term, you know, 5, 10, 20 years down the road. We do need daycare in Neepawa right now, which is somewhat of an issue. We have a lot of young families with children that are struggling to find child care. So that would be one thing that I would like to see pursued. And as in every community, I think in Canada, a lot of them are lacking in affordable housing for families starting out. So, I would like to see us come up with a plan to address that.”
» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com