Over the past weeks the discussion surrounding Chestermere graduating to city status has been circling around. It is safe to say that the opinions of Chestermere residents was extremely important to this process as there were multiple avenues taken to collect that information. There were comment cards designed and provided at various locations, links shared on social media to attract the online audience and public open houses held for that more face to face experience.
The final city status open house was held at Town Hall on September 18th. This was the last ‘in person’ opportunity for residents to learn more about what becoming a city would entail, get questions answered or express concerns. Although no new information was provided, the councillors on hand to speak to the subject were there awaiting the public……but the low attendance was quite obvious.
What do Chestermere residents think? I guess we will have to wait until the special meeting on September 29th where council will discuss, debate and decide on this.
Until then, you can still voice your opinion online by visiting www.chestermere.ca, or email a member of council.
Before the Town of Chestermere decides to forge ahead with the motion to become a “small” city, I would like to suggest that the mayor and council members do a study on what happened up north when the towns of Cold Lake, Grand Center decided to become a city. My family and I happened to reside there for the before, during and after the change, to experience the mess and cost of that change. Before we were transferred to Calgary a few years ago, the city council of Cold Lake was considering reverting back to town status. I find it odd that other than Chestermere residents being told the benefits would draw big companies, more business and my taxes shouldn’t change (much) nothing else is mentioned. As a town we receive a fair bit of government monies, as a city we also loose government monies, because as a city we are treated as a city. Chestermere council needs to do a serious study on the costs to the towns people and businesses if we become a city and properly present it to the public, not just ask how do you feel about becoming a city in a few meetings, of fill out a card at select businesses-which I never knew where they were.