Armstrong mayor retiring from politics

Jul 14, 2022 | 11:02 AM

After 31 years in the council chamber, the Mayor of Armstrong is leaving politics.

“Sometime in your political life you have to say it’s time to retire,” Mayor Chris Pieper told Vernon Matters.

“I served 17 years as councillor and 14 as mayor, so 31 years I think is enough. And I’m aging out, so it’s time to call it a career.”

Looking back on his years serving the City of Armstrong, Pieper said it was great to see the community grow, adding one of the highlights of his career was the construction of the Armstrong Nor-Val Centre while he was a councillor in 2004-05.

“That was a joint project with the Township of Spallumcheen and we both worked very hard to get the arena, as well as the provincial government gave us some grants, and we got an arena that the community is very proud of and it should last us a long time,” said Pieper.

Council grants

Vernon to distribute over $50k in Council Discretionary Grants, $20K to the food bank

17h ago

Possible firearm involved

One person apprehended in connection with suspicious activity in Coldstream

Dec 13, 2025

Fatal Collision, Highway Closed

One person dead in crash near Revelstoke

Dec 13, 2025

“That was one of the biggest capital projects we worked on, but there’s lots of other little projects: our road projects, our infrastructure projects, improving our swimming pool, improving our fire hall and all those things. There’s been lots of projects through the 31 years and they’re all part of my memory.”

Pieper said that, while there will always be a feeling like more could have been done, he was proud of all the projects that were completed within the city budgets that helped expand the town and served the community members.

Looking ahead to the future, Pieper he will miss some aspects of serving on council.

“[I’m] going to miss the action,” said Pieper.

“If you don’t go to work everyday you miss the people, they’re all your friends you work with, but when you do retire you take a different focus on your family, on your community events. It will be different, but it will be good.”

Pieper added he will continue to do his best to serve the city in the months leading up to the election, and does plan to remain an active member of the community once retired.

While he did not have any specific advice for whoever takes over his role in October, Pieper said a mayor needs to be ready to take on the day-to-day work; be prepared to stick to planned budgets; but also be flexible and ready to adapt in the event of a big change and be ready to follow the advice of experts, pointing to how every municipal government had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pieper said the construction of the new city hall in Armstrong is moving along, and should be ready by the end of December. The logs that are to be a feature item for the new building have been delivered and will be put in place at the entry way soon. He said the new building will make things more efficient for both staff and residents.

While Pieper won’t get to serve in the new city hall, he said he was happy to go out in the 110-year-old building that serves as the current city hall.

by Liam Verster

View Comments