The city of Port Moody is hoping its new manager of planning and development will be a beacon for the city’s growth.
André Boel, the director of planning for the town of Gibsons on the Sunshine coast, begins his new position at Port Moody city hall on Dec. 4.
“With his experience and expertise in planning, and his leadership skills, André will be a great asset to our city at a time when many critical planning initiatives are underway or are being considered,” Mayor Mike Clay said in a press release.
Boel has a master of science degree in planning from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands as well as a certificate in local government administration from Capilano University in North Vancouver.
He moved to Canada in 2005 and worked as a community planner in Sechelt until he became Gibsons’ director of planning in 2013. There, he was the town’s lead on a number of major projects, including a proposal to develop 360 residential units and a nine-hectare park in the Gospel Rock neighbourhood, and another for development of a 100-room full-service hotel and residential project, as well as a new master plan for Winegarden Park on the waterfront.
“I am looking forward to collaborating with council, staff, community members and developers on managing the changes that Port Moody is experiencing,” Boels said in the release.
He takes over from James Stiver, who left the position earlier this year.
