Born and raised in the Westman area, Darren Pudlo got a job teaching elementary school in Neepawa right after getting his Education degree in what he calls his “Lotto 649 win”. His dream from the age of 6 was always to be a teacher, a dream that was only confirmed when he found the best part of his retail job to be training other employees.

But as he approached 30 years of teaching, Pudlo started to think about his next chapter. That’s where a run at Council came in. It might have been a bit further in his future if not for a neighbourhood issue that inspired him to push for greater transparency in municipal government decisions. His term on council has so far, he says, been an incredible learning opportunity full of unexpected challenges, not the least of which have been the historic flooding and COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s being an active classroom teacher during the pandemic that’s kept him away from a lot of in-person activities the past couple of years, including this interview, in an effort to ensure the safety of his students. But it's also his experience in the school and with his students that gives him an advantage when it comes to certain aspects of town planning.

Pudlo’s main committee is Recreation and Economic Development, for which he serves as chair. While he puts a lot of time into the economic portion of the portfolio, including seeking opportunities to attract large businesses to town and looking at how the town can transition into the next phase of its existence, recreation is where his heart is.

Right from his first week on council, Pudlo says people were comfortable with coming to him, such as when they presented him with a petition regarding public skating hours. He has seen the new bike trail introduced while he has been on council, and also seen the construction of new tennis and pickleball courts, and new basketball courts in the near future, as well as a plan to build new facilities at the park and swimming pool. He recognises the need for no-cost activities, and also how our abundance of outdoor recreation has meant that we continue to welcome visitors even though the pandemic.

As Pudlo says, ““There’s just no better way of helping to keep our community healthy [than] giving opportunities for kids, for families, any age, to have some activities to be able to do."