Stepping Forward: Reflections on Leadership, Community, and the Future of Coquitlam
A Moment of Transition for Coquitlam
After dedicating his time since 2008 to our beloved City of Coquitlam, Mayor Richard Stewart, having served five terms, has decided to step away from public office. His decision to resign in order to spend more time with his family, who supported him deeply throughout his career, is both understandable and deeply respected.
Moments like this naturally invite reflection. They encourage us to ask ourselves what responsibility we each hold in shaping the future of the place we call home. For me, it raises an important question: what if I put my foot forward and take a leap, not only to help ensure Coquitlam continues to shine as it did under Mayor Stewart’s leadership, but to help it shine even brighter?
A Personal Commitment to Community
My goal is to be a role model, to set an example for residents of Coquitlam and beyond, and to remind one another that it truly takes a whole village to make a city livable and loveable.
As a resident who grew up here my entire life, I have witnessed the city’s transformation firsthand. I remember biking down dirt roads to get to Nester Elementary. Today, those same roads have been expanded, neighbourhoods refined, and parks thoughtfully designed to welcome rapid growth and newcomers from different provinces, cultures, and backgrounds.
Growth, Responsibility, and Environmental Stewardship
While much of this development has been positive, it would be dishonest to say it has come without consequence. I am seeing more and more garbage spilled into our forests, waterways, and streets. This is deeply troubling.
Coquitlam is one of the few cities in the world where nature and wildlife are not separate from daily life, they are part of it. What we do here has a direct and significant impact on a fragile ecosystem. The damage caused by pollution does not disappear, it accumulates, and wildlife pays the price.
The question of what we can do to slow, and even stop, environmental harm weighs on me daily.
Small Actions and Collective Impact
My wife and I adopted a trail several years ago, shortly after moving into our neighbourhood in 2020. Since then, we have returned again and again to care for it. We have seen the impact of our efforts, but we have also asked ourselves an honest question: did it change anything beyond that single trail?
That question is not discouraging, it is motivating. It is a reminder that individual action matters, but collective action matters more. Change does not happen through leadership alone, nor through isolated effort. It happens when everyday residents decide that stewardship, care, and responsibility are part of what it means to belong to a city.
Coquitlam has always been special because of the balance it strikes between growth and nature. Preserving that balance is not just the responsibility of city hall, it belongs to all of us.
And that is a responsibility worth stepping forward for.
Questioning the Path to Leadership
As I began trying to understand what it truly takes to become a mayor, I reached out to several people within the political world in Coquitlam. Many were honest with me. They believed it would be extremely difficult, if not unachievable, given the obstacles involved, from experience and name recognition to funding and political infrastructure. Those conversations forced me to question something deeply: can a normal, passionate resident realistically dream of becoming mayor?
That question stayed with me.
A Conversation That Changed Perspective
Over Christmas, I travelled to visit my parents, who lived in Coquitlam for over 30 years and now reside in Comox, BC. While there, we reached out to the mayor of Cumberland, a city I’ve always admired for how closely it reminds me of Coquitlam in its balance of community, nature, and character.
We met with Vickey Brown for coffee at Laneway Coffee & Kitchen. What started as a simple conversation quickly became something much more meaningful. We spoke openly about what it takes to be a mayor, about campaigning, leadership, responsibility, and the realities of public service. She also shared parts of her own journey, with honesty and without polish.
The Kind of Leadership That Inspires
To be blunt, she is exactly how I imagine a mayor should be.
Authentic. Direct. Grounded. Someone who does not sugar-coat issues or hide behind performative politics. Her approach to leadership felt real, human, and rooted in service rather than status.
That conversation gave me something I didn’t realize I was searching for: clarity and courage. Not the kind that pushes someone to rush forward recklessly, but the kind that quietly confirms a deeper commitment. It strengthened my resolve to continue doing meaningful work, to keep showing up, and to keep contributing in ways that benefit Coquitlam, neighbouring cities, and beyond.
If nothing else, it reminded me that leadership does not begin with a title. It begins with intention, consistency, and the willingness to serve long before anyone asks you to.
And that is something worth committing to.
Wishing Continued Leadership for Cumberland
Vickey Brown is a truly inspiring person. Spending just an hour in conversation with her for the first time, I immediately felt her positive energy. It was genuine, grounded, and deeply reassuring, the kind of presence that makes you feel heard and understood.
I strongly believe that Cumberland needs a mayor like her. Someone authentic, principled, and unafraid to speak honestly about the challenges and responsibilities of leadership. She represents the kind of leadership that puts community first, without ego or performance.
We sincerely wish her success in the 2026 mayoral election, and we hope the people of Cumberland continue to be represented by someone who leads with integrity, clarity, and heart.
Written by Jeff Curtis, Co-Founder of Boro and Beyond Media
Vickey Brown (Left) and Jeff Curtis (Right)
