By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Kelvin Galbraith’s connection to Burlington’s Aldershot community goes back a generation, beginning with the house his parents purchased in 1980, where they still live today. Born and raised in Aldershot, Galbraith attended Fairfield, Maplehurst, and Aldershot High School before studying business at Brock University. His entrepreneurial path began while he was at university and eventually led him to open the Fitness Firm on Plains Road in 1998, a business he continues to operate nearly three decades later.
But beyond his business and political career, Galbraith says family, community, and sport have played some of the biggest roles in shaping who he is today.
“I’m a lifelong Aldershot resident,” Galbraith said during an episode of Pages of Me Podcast: Election Edition, part of the “Beyond the Campaign” series, which looks at the people and experiences behind Burlington’s municipal election candidates.
Growing up in Burlington when the city was smaller, Galbraith spent much of his childhood playing sports throughout the community. Hockey became his passion, something that has remained part of his life decades later. He comes from a family of five children, with both of his parents working in the medical field, and today he is a father of six.
“I’m a family guy, busy guy, but most of my kids are in sports,” he said.
Galbraith has also spent 18 years coaching hockey in Burlington, giving him an opportunity to work with young people and families from across the city. He says coaching has taught him as much about leadership as it has about sport, particularly when it comes to understanding different personalities and bringing people together toward a common goal.
“I’ve coached ice hockey for 18 years now,” he said. “I love coaching kids. I want the kids to enjoy the sport and come back next year. Have fun, come back and play next year. If they do, I feel like I’ve done my job.”
His experience as a coach, father, and business owner has also shaped the way he approaches leadership on city council. Galbraith says he has captained teams, managed and coached players, hired and trained employees, and learned how to motivate people in different circumstances.
“I felt like I fit naturally into the city councillor role,” he said. “I felt it was a natural fit. That’s why I ran for the job and was successful in obtaining it.”
While Aldershot and Ward 1 remain central to Galbraith’s identity, he says serving on Burlington City Council requires looking beyond the boundaries of his ward. As a councillor, he votes on issues affecting the entire city, and his years of coaching have taken him to parks, arenas, and recreation facilities throughout Burlington.
“I am elected by the people in Aldershot and Tyandaga. However, you have to have a full city perspective on all of the issues that happen in the city because you have to vote on them,” Galbraith said.
That citywide perspective also influences how he believes residents can make their voices heard. Galbraith says councillors can help residents navigate the city’s departments and connect them with professional staff, while also bringing issues forward to committee and council when they believes a broader change is needed.
He describes councillors as connectors, saying their role is not necessarily to have expertise in every area of municipal government, but to know when to seek out the people who do.
“I’ve always been an advocate for ‘Know what you don’t know,’ because you just can’t know everything,” Galbraith said. “You have to admit you don’t know something, ask the team, ask your colleagues.”
That philosophy extends beyond politics and into his business and coaching experiences, where Galbraith says seeking advice from professionals, colleagues, parents, and players has helped him make better decisions.
For Galbraith, life in Burlington is also about continuing to evolve. With children ranging in age from six to 24, he says watching his children discover their own interests has challenged some of his assumptions about what recreation should look like. While some of his children have gravitated toward hockey, one has found a passion for theatre, prompting Galbraith to think differently about how he introduces his younger children to music, theatre, and other opportunities.
He also hopes Burlington continues to develop spaces where young people can pursue those interests, including a proposed OHL-sized ice rink in Aldershot that he believes could serve as both a hockey and music venue.
“I really hope that that facility comes to real life,” he said.
And while Galbraith may have grown up listening to heavy metal and now counts country music among his favourites, he says his evolution is not limited to his musical tastes. His children have introduced him to new music and experiences, something he sees as part of the natural process of growing and changing.
When asked to describe the season of life he is currently in, Galbraith settled on two words.
“I’m continuously evolving,” he said.
To watch the full episode of the Pages of Me podcast, click here to go to the Burlington Local News YouTube channel or watch below.
