Councillor Ashdown won’t run in next election

For seven years Rolly Ashdown has responded to the needs of Langdon residents as the hamlet’s Rocky View County councillor.
Now he hopes they turn to him when they need a slice of pizza and some refreshment.
Ashdown will not be running in the next municipal election, leaving the door open for someone else to take over after two terms, and he will instead be opening a pizza place and lounge on the south end of Langdon.
“It’s quite a demanding position and I think I need a little rest,” Ashdown said. “I want to open up a bar and a pizza place. I really like two things: Beer and pizza. 
“There’s a good one up in the north part of Langdon and I think there should be a good one in the south part of Langdon. It’s going to be called Langdon Lounge and Langdon Pizza. It will be a lounge atmosphere that has good value and good food.”
The new place will be in the strip mall across from the Tim Hortons, and Ashdown hopes he can still connect with his former constituents on a weekly basis at the new watering hole. With the term ending with the election on Oct. 16, Ashdown hopes the new place will open in November and catch some momentum heading into next year.
Although he wants to keep details hush-hush, Ashdown hopes it will be a venue for live music as well.
“There will be nice big deck there so I’m excited about it for next summer,” Ashdown said. “I was in the restaurant business in the 1980s but I haven’t done that in a long time. It’s time to get back to it. I think there’s a need there so I’m quite looking forward to it.”
Ashdown has been quite accessible for Landgonites as he will always answer his cellphone when there is someone in need of help. The way Ashdown treats the job is that he needs to be available, so he actually hasn’t taken a vacation this summer.
The job can get exhausting, so he needs to do something else for a while, but he wants to leave it in good hands. Ashdown has been informed that Al Schule will be running for the job, so that makes him feel better about his decision.
“I ran in municipal politics because I wanted to make sure there was good government,” Ashdown said. “Al has said he is running. He was the councillor before and the reeve of the county. 
“Since he’s willing to do it, I’m satisfied there will be good government for us. That’s always been my goal. I think Al will make sure that happens. I won’t say I will never run again. It’s just time for a little break. It’s a good time for me to step out for a little while.”