Richard Christy was mayor of the City of Kitchener from 1995 to 1997 and lead the city through the beginning stages of its downtown revitalization. Rob and Richard discuss that part of the city's history -  plus how Richard got into politics, moving from Ottawa to Kitchener,  and why he thinks the downtown malls of the 80s and 90s hurt local businesses.

Rob is joined in the studio by Todd Cowan, former mayor of Woolwich Township.

Rob is joined by Joe Mancini from The Working Centre. Joe and his wife Stephanie founded The Working Centre in 1982 as a response  to unemployment and poverty in downtown Kitchener. Newly married and just graduated from St. Jerome’s  College at the University of Waterloo, the young couple saw the potential for building a community of interest around responding to unemployment and  poverty, developing social analysis and engaging in creative action. 

Rob sits down with Brenda Halloran, Mayor of the City of Waterloo from 2006 to 2014 to talk about how she came to office, the Ralgreen Crescent dispute and more.

Rob talks with Ken Seiling who served as Chair of Waterloo Region from 1985 to 2018. 

Long time mayor of the City of Kitchener, Carl Zehr, sits down with Rob to talk about the Economic Development Investment Fund's impact on the city's downtown and where Kitchener is headed now.

“The centre of a city is so important. It’s the heart that makes a city tick. If you don’t have a strong core, the rest will start to deteriorate. In the 80s and 90s people would say ‘I never go downtown, why would I do that?' That’s the point they weren’t feeling pride in their city, It was clear something had to be done.” - Carl Zehr

Former Wellesley Township mayor Ross Kelterborn as they talk about their history working together on the Waterloo Regional council and Ross's time as mayor.

Welcome to the first episode of Old Grey Mayors. To get things started, Rob talks with Doug Craig, former Mayor of Cambridge, Ontario. Doug talks about how he got into municipal politics, the building of the city's hall, and what's happening today with issues on the location of a new sports multiplex for the City of Cambridge.