Ted Footman steps into the Ward 19 Race

If there’s someone in Ward 19 that knows about bars and restaurants and issues with local council it’s Ted (David) Footman. Ted started and ran a number of restaurants including College Street Bar, Ted’s Collision and Ted’s Wrecking Yard on College Street, and had to endure Joe Pantalone’s neighbourhood manipulation up there, as city regulations froze the development of the strip where it remains like a mid-nineties memory of small struggling bistros and bars.

But his experience is much broader than that. Ted is also an architect, and with that brings a much broader understanding of city issues. Being an architect gives a candidate a solid understanding of city aesthetics and heritage as well as, importantly, regulations.

Ted grew up in Brampton, after being born in Scotland, and moved downtown to study history and architecture at the University of Toronto.

Frustrated with the direction of the neighbourhood, and always having an itch to run, Ted joined the race later than most of the other candidates, but he has made up for his late start with his quirky approach, as well as his large network of supporters in the neighbourhood from his restaurant background.

One of the main planks in his platform in running for council is to encourage the small businesses in the neighbourhood to grow, as well as to connect with local residents, and be the caretakers of the neighbourhood. As a small businessman himself he was subject to many of the regulations he is looking to change – including expensive fees on sandwich boards. Read more of his platform here.

Ted’s got a very open and direct style which may ruffle some feathers, but Ward 19 needs some change, and Ted’s in it to push for change.

Come to the Ossington Village debate at the Garrison Tuesday night and see Ted in action, as well as all the other local candidates. It should be a good night.