SURREY — Mayor Dianne Watts will not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal election this November.
Watts made the announcement at the grand opening event for the new Surrey City Hall on Saturday, during the annual Party for the Planet event.
"As in every book, there comes a time to turn the page and to end a chapter. And I feel that I have completed this chapter in my life and it's time to pass the torch," Watts told the crowd.
Click here to read who is eyeing the mayor's chair.
"Every great city has a vibrant downtown core with iconic architecture that will stand the test of time. The vision, the transformation and building a city from the ground up most definitely takes vision and steadfast determination," she said.
"Even in the face of adversity and criticism, it takes a team of incredibly dedicated people that see and feel and understand that they too are part of a vision and indeed, part of history. So most importantly it takes a community that comes together with that same passion and resolve to make it happen. As your mayor I have been truly blessed. Helping to take our city from a residential suburb to the second metropolitan core of the region with over 500,000 people is no small task."
Watts credited her Surrey First team in helping to create the downtown core, including the new city hall, the City Centre Library, residential towers, Innovation Boulevard and Holland Park.
"We were fearless, we were relentless and we were determined. And it was not about thinking and creating outside of the box, it was about thinking and creating without a box."
Watts told the crowd, "All of this, it's not for me, and it's not for council. It is for you. The people of this city. The next generation and the one after that. Great people deserve a great city. And as your mayor for all of the past nine years, my heart, my integrity and my passion has been here for this city and for the people who live here and who raise their children here."
In 2008, while running for re-election, Watts called for a nine-year term limit for city council members. She said she would not serve more than three terms - nine years - as mayor.
"All elected officials have a shelf-life, me included," she said in 2008, "so it puzzles me that so many in elected office have trouble accepting the reality that at some point it is best for our democracy and for our communities that all of us move on."
And with nine years as Surrey's mayor under her belt come November, Watts has held to her word and bowed out.
After her announcement, Watts said she didn't know what was next for her.
"I'll probably take a little bit of time off and look at all the options. Who knows what's around the corner. I think it's time to reflect a little bit and give some thought to what the next chapter of my life will be," she said.
Watts said she's proud her team could put "petty politics aside" to get work done.
"I think that a lot of the elements that we moved forward with in terms of building the foundation for the city had to do with implementing our Sustainability Charter, our Crime Reduction Strategy, looking at all of the pieces around social infrastructure and developing partnerships with other levels of government to make it happen," Watts said.
As for the job the next mayor has to do, Watts said "the foundation is laid."
"We've accomplished a phenomenal amount of work and given that 70 per cent of the region's growth is going to come south of the Fraser, there has to be a strong leader at the helm - somebody who can build a strong team and move the city forward," she said, adding, "there's lots of things that we still need to do."
And while Watts, president of Surrey First, said she'll be at the table during discussions about who will replace her as the slate's mayoral candidate, she feels it's important the team chooses a leader themselves, adding "whoever that is, I will support absolutely."
Watts was first elected in 1996 as a councillor under former mayor Doug McCallum. Leading up to the 2005 election, Watts had a very public spat with McCallum over charges of bullying. She made political history when she defeated McCallum and became the city's first female mayor in 2005, winning with 45,981 votes - roughly 10,000 more than McCallum's 35,558.
She later formed Surrey First, which swept all of the council seats in the 2011 election, ousting longtime councillor and former mayor Bob Bose. Watts took about 80 per cent of the votes, with her six mayoral opponents trailing far, far behind.
And throughout her tenure, Watts has proved to be a popular mayor. In an Insights West poll released in March, she was given a 73 per cent approval rating.
Some have already showed interest in the mayor's chair, including Surrey First Coun. Linda Hepner and independent Coun. Barinder Rasode, though no one has yet to come out publicly confirming their intentions.
And there's been speculation that McCallum may be jumping back into Surrey's political arena after he came out to the media with strong words about the dollars spent on the glitzy new city hall and criticisms of the Surrey City Development Corporation.
On Sunday, Hepner said Watts' legacy will be "how she transformed a city in a decade." As well, Hepner said she'll be remembered for developing strong policy, referring to works such as the city's sustainability charter.
Hepner believes Watts will also be known as "the people's mayor."
"I think she had the ability to attract little faces and youth, and adults and seniors, all at the same time. I think she'll be known for that kind of charisma."
Hepner praised Watts for being able to move a vision forward with a team of differing political viewpoints.
"So she had someone on her team like a Judy Villeneuve and then she had someone on her team like Marvin Hunt - generally on both ends of the political spectrum - and yet she was able to bring a collaboration of those dispirate views to work toward a vision."
She said the mayor's departure will be the turning of a page.
"And boy I'm telling you those are huge shoes to fill. And I don't think anyone should try to fill them. I think whatever path someone takes, it's got to be their own."
Hepner wouldn't say whether she would be running for mayor.
She said the Surrey First team will be in discussions over the next few weeks about strategy and candidates, including who will lead the charge, but added the group is "fairly close to a decision."
Last week, Rasode departed from the Surrey First slate to sit as an independent on council. She claimed the more questions she asked of council, the more "hostile" the relationship had become. Rasode said she would "strongly consider" running for mayor is Watts didn't run.
After Watts' announcement on Saturday, Rasode wouldn't confirm whether or not she would be running as a mayoral candidate, only saying "today is all about Mayor Watts."
Rasode believes Watts will be remembered for "starting the vision and implementing the vision of a downtown core in the City of Surrey. And she'll definitely be known for the Build Surrey program," which outlines capital projects to be built over six years, including new recreation opportunities, improved police and fire coverage, enhanced residential and commercial development, expanded library and arts services and the creation of a downtown core.
"I applaud her for that," Rasode said.
She described Watts as being "a very outspoken advocate," adding, "that's something I've watched and learned from."
If Watts chooses to serve at another political level, Rasode believes she will be a strong voice for the citizens of Surrey.
There has been speculation that Watts may run for the federal Conservatives in the South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale riding in the 2015 election, after current MP Russ Hiebert announced he wouldn't be seeking re-election. Watts has yet to reveal her intentions.