A former city bureaucrat who currently serves as the executive director of the Cabbagetown Youth Centre will replace the late Pam McConnell as councillor for Ward 28.

Lucy Troisi was appointed following a special meeting of council on Thursday.

Troisi previously served as the city’s manager of community engagement between 2005 and 2011 and as its manager of parks and recreation between 1996 and 2005.

She emerged from a field of 31 candidates on Thursday after receiving the support of 24 councillors on a second ballot. Anti-poverty activist Mike Creek, who had the backing of McConnell’s family, finished second with 19 votes. Mayor Tory voted for Creek but did not openly lobby for his appointment, as he did when council appointed Jim Hart to fill a vacancy in Ward 44 in June.

McConnell, a longtime councillor and fierce anti-poverty advocate, passed away in July following a brief hospitalization.

At its meeting in October council decided to appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of McConnell’s term rather than holding a costly byelection.

After Troisi’s appointment Mayor John Tory said he is looking forward to working with her.

“As executive director of the Cabbagetown Youth Centre, a long-time resident and community volunteer, and as a former City of Toronto employee, I believe Lucy will continue to build on Pam McConnell’s legacies in Ward 28 including the ongoing revitalization of Regent Park and the redevelopment of St. Lawrence Market,” Tory said in a statement issued on Thursday.

“She has a demonstrated record of caring about people and poverty reduction which I am counting on her to continue as Pam McConnell’s appointed successor.”

Some of the other notable candidates on Thursday included anti-poverty activist Joel MacCallum and LGBTQ activist Susan Gapka, who was pushing to become the first openly trans member of city council. Both received only one vote and were dropped from the ballot.

“This is an opportunity with one year left in the term of city council to appoint someone who is not only a woman but a member of the LGBTQ community. We lack diversity at city council and this is as an opportunity now to address that,” Gapka told CP24 earlier on Thursday. “It is long overdue for a trans person to be elected in the City of Toronto.”

Each candidate was given five minutes to address council on Thursday.

Troisi will remain in the role until the end of this current term of council on Nov. 30, 2018.

Toronto will hold its municipal election next October.