Somerset Ward re-elected Diane Holmes as its city councilor in the municipal election.
Dressed in black and red and standing on a chair, Holmes addressed her supporters in the crowded backroom of the Yang Sheng Chinese Restaurant, on Somerset Street and Bronson Avenue, after winning re-election Monday night.
Holmes thanked them for their help with her campaign and even handed out gifts wrapped in yellow paper to her campaign workers.
“This is a continuation of the partnership that I have with so many neighbourhood. . . . When we do work together with our staff, we do wonderful things,” Holmes said at her campaign party.
Holmes was presented with a gift from the community as well: a yellow brick from a house recently torn down in Centretown.
“I look forward to four more years of working with you and I’m so pleased you’ve come out tonight to help me move forward to the next four years,” she said. “It’s going to be exciting, different, but I really look forward to it.”
Holmes says her first priority for council will be to move forward with the light rail transit plan.
“I don’t think we’ll keep the federal and provincial money if we don’t move forward,” she said. “I can’t imagine they’ll say yes to another three year study.”
Holmes won 66.5 per cent of the 9,445 votes cast. Challenger Don Fex came in second with 21.4 per cent. Holmes said hasn’t decided if she will run in the next municipal election.
Also Monday, Jim Watson won his bid for mayor, garnering 48.8 per cent of votes with 98 per cent of polling stations reporting.
Jennifer MacKenzie defeated Megan Carroll for the Ottawa-Carleton School Board Zone 10 trustee position. McKenzie had 75 per cent of the 15,749 votes cast.