• Fraser Valley Regional District Board
• Fraser Valley Regional Hospital District Board
• Vice Chair, Awards and Recognition Advisory Committee
Les Barkman was elected as an Abbotsford City Councillor in 2008.
Les’ history with the City goes back to 1974 when he started working in the Parks and Recreation department and eventually became supervisor of the Roads and Sanitation department, operating snow plows, street sweepers, and all sanitation-related equipment. Les believes that it is important to give back to the community; he has coached kids’ fastball, officiated basketball for 40 years, and has fundraised and volunteered for a variety of local charities.
Les and his wife, Elaine, love interacting with other cultures and have travelled to the Philippines, Hong Kong, and La Paz, Mexico.
Key Projects
- Participated in the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness and is active in helping out in the cold weather shelters. This has given Les a deeper understanding of what it means to support the most needy in our community
- Involved in organizing and refereeing the APD City Basketball Tournament, which brings together over 60 teams and 900 athletes (grades 8 to 12) from across Abbotsford. The goal is to build connections with youth and promote positive choices and opportunities though basketball.
Committees and Community Groups
While serving on Council, Les has been a part of a wide range of committees, including the Mayor’s Task on Crime Reduction, Solid Waste Task Force, Parks, Recreation & Culture Commission, Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, Matsqui Prairie Dyking, Drainage & Irrigation Committee, Abbotsford Youth Commission, and M.S.A. Museum Society. Les has also been active in fundraising and volunteering for charities, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Matthew’s House, Canuck Place, Abbotsford Hospice Society, the Abbotsford Food Bank, Crystal Gala, and the Cyrus Centre.
