By Chris Lewis/August 19, 2021
It has taken a while for the timing to work out, but O’Donel High teacher Susan Pearcey is hoping her opportunity to find a seat on Mount Pearl council is finally at hand.
The Goulds native settled in Mount Pearl years ago, where she has been raising her two sons.
Serving on council has been on her mind for a while, a dream stoked over the years during woodstove chats with her friend and relative Lucy Stoyles, herself a former long-time councillor and now MHA.
“When my children were smaller, the commitment of it was a little bit overwhelming,” Pearcey said. “But now, my kids are older and I’m in a different place in my life. I love the idea of being a part of this city in that way, seeing where and how it can grow.”
Pearcey has been a highly involved resident of the city.
Over the last few years, she has helped with the annual Focus on Youth Awards and been an active volunteer in Mount Pearl Minor Hockey for even longer. She is involved in the City’s annual Frosty Festival organizing various events, especially ones related to hockey. In the summer, Pearcey helps out at The Gathering Place
During many a cabin conversation, Pearcey said, she and Stoyles discussed municipal politics and what it would entail to run.
Pearcey said it was Stoyles who gave her the final push and convinced her to put her name on the ballot. So, she took a “leap of faith.”
“I have this huge mountain to climb, but I know I’m up for the challenge,” said Pearcey.”
So far it has been exciting and a bit eye-opening, she said. In the beginning, her goal was to knock on every single door n Mount Pearl. It was not until she actually got her boots on the ground that she realized just how big the city really is. That is when she decided she would need a team behind her.
“I’m very fortunate … I’ve had a lot of students both present and former who are going door to door for me,” Pearcey said. “And then I’m out there, myself, of course.”
Pearcey said she has been busy getting to know people and so far has been happy to hear that most of them are pleased with the current state of the city.
But she does have a list of things she wants to tackle, starting with her excitement at the chance to be part of the City’s future community centre on Smallwood Drive.
Sch a facility is desperately needed, she said, and she hopes to play a role in what goes there as plans move along.
“I’d also really like to become something of an advocate for (the seniors) in our city, ensuring that they can live to their fullest potential here in our city,” Pearcey said.
Her eyes are also on the young crowd.
“Being a teacher here, I see how much potential our students have. We have so many amazing young people within our community,” Pearcey said. “I want to help them build an attachment to Mount Pearl. That’s something I think we need to instill in our young people. They’ll go off and do their studies, but we want them to want to bring their knowledge and expertise back here … Showing them that Mount Pearl is a great place to start a business, for example, we’ll be able to continue growing as a city in so many different areas.”
