I've spent my entire adult life in Parkdale-High Park.

I moved to the Junction after getting my civil engineering degree from Queen's. I fixed leaky dams across Canada, the US and for almost a year in Argentina. But the Junction was home.

I lived there while it was still dry. When half the storefronts were boarded up.

Just as that was changing I moved to Roncesvalles.

Where I raised a family. Where my sons played street hockey in the back laneway. Where I drove them, their friends and their stuff to soccer, hockey, t-ball and swimming in High Park.

A proud hockey dad for almost 20 years, I drove my boys and their teammates to arenas across the city. But the fondest memories — apart from maybe Quebec City! — were the ones we made at Rennie Rink and just outside the ward at George Bell Arena.

I made dot-com millions here. I've been part of some of Canada's biggest tech success stories. But my smartest investment remains the house we bought 23 years ago.

The year of the blackout.

In the span of a month, we took possession of the house, had our first son, woke up to find my car stolen one day…and our garage burned to the ground in a string of laneway arsons that hot, humid summer.

I've dined, drank, and I shop daily at businesses from one corner of the ward to the other. I've started and run businesses here.

I know the great market this ward is for businesses of all kinds. And how poor political policy can drive even the best businesses under.

I know how every neighborhood in this ward is perfect to raise a family, to go to school or to grow old. And how city council negligence can leave those places vulnerable - if not dangerous.

I know why this election, in this ward, is an urgent one.

While this is my first run for public office since my school days, I've been serving my community my whole life.

From chairing the boards of MySchool and the 65th Toronto Scouts to the Roncesvalles BIA board and RMRA (where my son was the youngest volunteer in the residents' association's history :).

Now I'm ready to serve you - all of you - full time.

This isn't the first time my family has served this city either.

My cousin was an alderman and city councillor for The Beach for over a decade. His father was a pillar of the same community and has a bandshell named after him in Kew Gardens.

Some of my first memories were hearing the adults talk politics — with the utmost respect, like it was a calling — at Uncle Alex and Aunt Eleanor's house.

And I remember Uncle Alex's funeral. Not because I want that many people to come to my funeral. Because I hope that many people have even a fraction of that level of respect for me when my time comes.

And so it is my turn.

My turn to continue the family tradition, its duty to public service…and to serve you.

As a resident, business owner and volunteer, I know Parkdale-High Park is like a town within a city. And nothing would bring me more joy than to be the mayor of that town.

A mayor who walks the streets of his town. Who knows his neighbours, and neighbours from the other side of town. Who's a regular at businesses from one corner to the other.

A mayor families and business owners alike would happily approach on the street to talk about how we can make our town even better.

And I hope that, by electing me to city council, you'll give me the honour of being that mayor. The mayor of Parkdale-High Park.