ABOUT ME
My family and I moved to Richmond in 1974, and I have had the privilege of living and working in this community for almost my entire life.
I attended Quilchena Elementary, J.N. Burnett Secondary, and Richmond Senior Secondary. For the past 38 years, I have worked as an airline pilot, including 22 years flying for a large cargo airline. For the past eight years, I have also worked as a Realtor and Property Manager.
Outside of work, I enjoy camping, biking, hiking and classic cars. I also play baseball and curling in my spare time. Giving back to the community has always been important to me, and I have volunteered with the Richmond Food Bank, West Richmond Community Center as well as being significant donors to the Richmond General and Royal Columbian Hospitals.
Over the decades, I have watched Richmond transform from a small community into one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the region.
I remember the Richmond of years ago, when many of our main roads still had ditches, Richmond Centre was known as Richmond Square, the Park Towers were the only high-rise buildings visible for miles, and Richmond was still technically a township.
Richmond has changed dramatically over the years. Its population has grown significantly, and there are many reasons people continue to choose Richmond as a place to live, work, operate a business and raise a family.
But growth also brings challenges. A growing population means greater demand for housing, transportation, infrastructure, public services, and community safety. As Richmond continues to grow, we need to ensure that development is practical, appropriate and responsible, while maintaining the qualities that make our community such a desirable place to live.
I believe this is an important time to listen to residents, consider fresh ideas and take a thoughtful look at Richmond's future. My goal is to bring my decades of leadership, business and community experience to City Council and to listen to what Richmond residents want to see from their city.
On October 17, I am asking Richmond residents to participate in the municipal election and make their voices heard.
Adil Awan
Independent Candidate for Richmond City Council
