She was heading out on vacation as I caught up with new Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman. Fortunately, she had plenty of time to talk; after being caught in traffic in Vancouver, Heintzman had to wait at the airport for a later flight to Toronto en route to Dominican Republic with her parents, brother and sister. So she sat by a quiet gate at the airport and generously allowed plenty of time for my questions about her past, her aspirations and what it’s like to be the new mayor.
Heintzman, affectionately known around town as Patty, has lived in Squamish for 22 years. She grew up in Montreal, then attended McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. for a Bachelor of Arts and Sheridan College in Toronto for photojournalism.
After graduation, “I travelled the world, did tree planting and ended up wanting to move out west, lured by mountains,” she explained.
She came here initially to work as a reporter at The Squamish Chief. In the mid-90s, during the heyday of desktop publishing, Heintzman left the Chief and began offering graphic design and publishing services. In 1998, she and a partner launched an outdoor recreation magazine called 99 North, sold in 2003-04 to Canada Wide Magazine and Communications (which closed the magazine in 2007).
Heintzman, who is single and lives with her two dogs, enjoys playing ukelele, mountain biking, skiing, wood carving, seeing live performances and sipping good wine, but her greatest passion is travelling. Heintzman says she’s been to 40 or 50 different countries on five continents, North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
“I love things that are different from what I see every day,” she said. She enjoys hearing new languages, tasting new foods and enjoying music and art, plus “meeting people who are intrigued by you and you are intrigued by them,” she added. “Everything is new when you are travelling.”
Her favourite location to date was the Galapagos Islands – “one of the most amazing, surreal places you will ever visit” – and was also fascinated by the culture of Sri Lanka, the isolation of Iran and the wildlife of Africa.
She speaks with the same passion about Squamish. “It has this unbelievable beauty and unbelievable lifestyle opportunities that are associated with the mountains and the ocean and the rivers.”
Squamish is a much different community than when she arrived, when only 10,000 people lived here and it was “very much a mill town,” she recalled.
“Everybody knew everybody. People would say, ‘Oh, I heard you were dancing on the table at the Brackendale Art Gallery last night,’” said Heintzman, laughing.
“Through the ’90s and the 2000s, there was slow growth in Squamish… it was percolating. After the Olympic announcement, it went into overdrive.”
Now, after serving as councillor and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District chair, Heintzman tells me she is proud to be mayor and a little surprised by the way people now respond to her. “It is interesting how people react to you differently now that you are mayor. Now they tend to listen more and, for whatever reason, your opinion is more validated.”
She enjoys it. “They think if they engage you, their dreams will come true. That’s certainly an empowering aspect of this job.
“People are so excited about the future and what can happen.”
Council faces several significant issues, including infrastructure, the need for a new fire hall, a municipal hall “way past its prime,” and needed upgrades to the rec centre, pipes and sewage treatment plant, she said.
The Oceanfront will also require a “big decision” and Heintzman hopes the public will be vocal about plans for it, as well as for the official community plan.
“I would really love to see a thriving downtown,” she added, noting it’s the perfect spot for festivals and revitalization.
In terms of economic development, “I think we are on the cusp of seeing some really exponential growth in certain sectors of the community. We saw it in the learning sector when Quest came here… and now you are starting to see it in the rec tech sector. And I see potential for filming… and forestry and industry.”
How long will Heintzman live in Squamish? When I asked, she didn’t rule anything out.
“I can see myself here until I die, but I don’t rule anything else out either. I see myself here for the next four years, at least,” she said, laughing.
“I love the place… but you never know what opportunities will pull you elsewhere four years from now or eight years from now. I never thought I would live anywhere for 22 years.”
Coffee with Christine is a column by Chief Editor Christine Endicott about Squamish's most interesting people.
