Ask Malcolm Brodie his biggest challenge as mayor of Richmond for the next three years and the answer comes easily: growth.
"We're going to grow and it's going to be mostly in the city centre, which will further densify as we have more residential projects make use of the Canada Line," he said.
The 63-year-old lawyer has been mayor of the bustling, diverse city for a decade and has already guided a massive transformation of the emerging city centre along the No. 3 Road corridor.
Voters are apparently pleased with the job Brodie has done as mayor since 2001 as he was re-elected for a fifth term in convincing fashion - getting nearly 21,000 votes, more than twice the number of his lone rival, lawyer Richard Lee.
Even Lee had to acknowledge Brodie's popularity.
"People in Richmond are pretty satisfied now, so they're happy with the incumbent," he said. "Unless you have a machine behind you, your chances are not good and I didn't have one."
Brodie said many voters told him throughout the campaign they were happy with Richmond's situation.
"They said they liked the changes that have been made and that we have moved the community forward," he said.
But Lee latched onto an issue that came to the forefront last month when former mayor and outgoing councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt claimed Richmond city hall had become a "corporate organization" run by city staff, not elected politicians.
The former mayor said, as a result, a major project such as the Richmond Oval took precedence over issues such as the need for more road improvements, libraries and community centres.
But Brodie feels the whole notion was misplaced and never really a serious issue.
"The political direction is given by council. There's not one of us that will vote for something we're not completely satisfied with."
Brodie will work with a familiar-looking council for the next three years as all six incumbents were re-elected - including 41year council veteran Harold Steves. Former Richmond school trustees Linda McPhail and Chak Au will be the only new faces on council and Brodie welcomes their presence.
"It's always good to have new blood and new perspectives," he said.
Brodie said Richmond's immediate priorities include pursuing an aggressive affordable-housing strategy and ensuring the city has enough green spaces and recreation facilities so people can "live, work and play" in the same area.
He said the city will continue to oppose a proposed jet fuel pipeline that would barge jet fuel up the Fraser River and deliver it through a 15-km pipeline that would run through the city.
