With years of community activism and public service under his belt, Craig Hillman has stepped forward as a candidate for City of Kimberley council. He brings a wide range of experience and background into the campaign for a council seat.

A career educator, Hillman has taught at Selkirk Secondary School and the College of the Rockies in Kimberley and Cranbrook.  Prior to that, he was an independent school principal and worked for the Ministry of Education.

He is also notable as the guy who has done a lot of work on local timber frame buildings like the Visitor Centre, Kimberley Campground picnic shelter, and the ‘Welcome to Kimberley’ signs at each end of town. The house made of straw bales up on 7th and Trail Street was also something Hillman worked on, between classes.

His community involvement includes many years on the Kimberley Chamber of Commerce board including a term as president. He was the chair of the Columbia Basin Trust’s education sector committee for three years, which supported tremendous growth in Community Literacy and other programs in the Basin. Hillman has volunteered on other community boards and organizations such as Wildsight and the Kimberley Community Forest group.

When asked what his most important contribution to Kimberley has been so far, he joked, “It’s likely a tie between working with community organizations to develop good budgets and operating policies, or organizing JulyFest Bocce Tournaments, and living to tell the tale.” Hillman adds, “I’m also proud of the small business that we’ve created in the Platzl.”

Craig and his partner Christine own and operate Natural Attraction Clothing and Café.

Hillman says that his campaign will center on the energy, experience and skills that he will bring to the Council, as well as developing the vision of Kimberley as “a place where people want to live, can afford to live, and can make a living.”

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