Setting A Course (2025-2029)
Education
Education is not a responsibility of a municipality, but it plays a significant part. The school board set the priority for the schools they need and the province selects the schools they will fund. We can support our school boards and support their request for a school. What we are responsible for is ensuring that land is set aside and that it is serviced. For all future developments, no permits for houses will be issued until the school site is serviced and signed off on by the developer and the city. No services to school site, no houses.
Economic Development
Once the Economic Development Department is operational they will need to continue the heavy lift mentioned above. Once the plans have been created, they will need to be active in the following area
- Focus on attracting key retail businesses to Chestermere, attracting the businesses a vibrant city wants and needs.
- Part of that attraction will include medical services – extended lab services, X-ray, MRI, ultrasound services.
- Secure a federal and provincial services in our city.
- Develop a tourism/visitiation opportunities. Utilize the facilities we have and will build to bring people here. Sporting events could be a niche to look at.
- Focus on attracting more hotels and conference opportunities. Maximizing the facilities we have to attract smaller conferences.
- Look at resources and tools for our local entrepreneurs that will help them grow and expand their business.
- Drive key attraction of technology, manufacturing and In Land Port opportunities.
From a development perspective, Economic Development will need to be an active contributor to the review of development plans. They will need to undertake the following.
- Review and provide feedback on proposed development plans
- All proposed developments must provide a minimum of 12 percent contribution in comparison to the residential development.
Additionally, I want to see an active committee of local business professionals that can provide feedback on the programs and undertakings, while at the same time identifying opportunities for business attraction.
Protective Services
Utilizing the current detachment as a regional office and operational base.
- Work with K Division of the RCMP to implement a rural detachment out of the Chestermere office
- Review current Peace Officer mandate. Ensure that two key mandates are in place – Education and when necessary, enforcement.
- Work with the province to ensure that there is also two ambulances per firehall (minimum) on call for a 24/7 schedule in Chestermere.
- Continue to work with the province on a growth plan on Ambulance coverage and all protective services.
- Invest into our fire protection service and our firefighters. Budget will grow to eight firefighters per shift and over the next four years be at 12 firefights per shift.
- Once a second station is established that will drop to 8 firefighters per shift per station. The intention will be to work back to 12 firefighters per shift per station.
Recreation
- Undertake the building of the new recreation centre. This will be a phased approach but the expection is that there will be no delays. The expectations is that the first phase will open while the second phase continues. A POOL WILL BE PART OF PHASE ONE!
- Work with Rocky View County on re-establishing a working relationship on the CRCA. Partial ownership will need to be reflected in that agreement.
- Work with the CRCA board on identifying current and future recreation assets (fields, buildings, ect…), and have them manage the booking of said facilities.