Defeated mayoral candidate Don Zurowski challenged the incoming mayor and council to take up a central theme of his campaign and strive to increase the city's population as he gave a sometimes emotional concession speech Saturday night.
"I have high expectations for this community as do you," he told about 80 supporters who gathered at the Ramada. "I really believe that the majority of this community is extremely ambitious and has higher expectations than we're currently achieving.
"Right now we're not growing at the national average rate and we need to go to work. Let's get growing, no more excuses."
During the campaign, Zurowski said increasing the city's population to 100,000 people would be his goal if elected. "Let's Get Prince George Growing - The Future is 100,000" was a campaign slogan.
His voice sometimes choking with emotion, Zurowski said he was surrounded by "some amazing people" during the campaign.
"It was absolutely humbling," he told supporters. "I would be very disappointed tonight if you went home with regrets. You did everything you could for us to win the opportunity to lead the community in the way that we put forward."
With the election now out of the way, Zurowski went on to say it's time for the community to come together.
"At times in the last few years, there's been too much divisiveness in local government and our community is more inclined to thrive when we get behind our local government," Zurowski said.
It was the second time in as many tries that Zurowski has lost a mayoral contest. In 2008, he lost to Dan Rogers by a count of 9,270 to 6,505 votes.
Up to that point, Zurowski had been on council for nine years.
Campaign manager Terry Kuzma said Zurowski showed "grace and dignity" in his remarks following the defeat.
"Don is a class person and will always be an ambassador for Prince George," Kuzma said. "It's sad not to see him as our next mayor of Prince George, especially as a man who's got vision.
"I was surprised by the result but nonetheless the voter has spoken and for the next four years Lyn Hall will lead city council and I certainly encourage him to have Don there as an advisor because he's going to need some help."
Kuzma said he liked Zurowski's willingness to "be bold, step up, and have a vision" while also putting needs before wants.
"My kids are very involved in the arts and I'd love to have a performing arts centre," Kuzma said. "But realistically, it needs to be the right sized community in order to support a facility."
Former MLA and one-time city council member Bruce Strachan also said he was disappointed in the outcome.
"Don Zurowski thought he could be a better leader with more vision and I subscribe to that, but obviously the electorate didn't," he said.
Asked about the tone of the campaign, Strachan thought it was quieter than past races and lacked the so-called wedge issues that distinguish the candidates from one another.
"This one didn't seem to have an issue split, for sure and I thought it was quite genteel," Strachan said.
Zurowski supporter Dennis Jackson said Hall will not be able to sit on the fence like he has for the last three years.
"He will have to make some decisions," Jackson said.
Jackson also interpreted the outcome as a win for the left-wing vote with candidates who had significant union support taking most of the seats on council as well as the mayor's chair.
