MLA report May 4

Hello Chestermere! I want to start off by saying thank you!  Thank you to Sherri and the Sommerfeld family for their advocacy to make sure that our children are safe at the intersection that took their precious son.  There are people that you meet in your life that truly change your life and your perspective.  Sherri and her family are those people.  I am constantly amazed and feel incredibly blessed to know such amazing people who put their own grief aside to help the rest of us. 
So Sherri, to you and your family, on behalf of all of us, thank you for your ongoing advocacy, for being our inspiration and for pushing all levels of government to do the right thing and get this road situation under control. 
For those of you who were not there, unfortunately the meeting at Camp Chestermere was not well advertised, so we will fill you in. There are several options on the table at this point, and some them are quite elaborate.  An interchange is currently scheduled for 2023. This is too long, and we have too many kids piling out of school and on to the highway to wait in my opinion.   The folks that attended the meeting were mostly in favor of lights and a “slow down” zone as you come to the lights with a full interchange as soon as possible.
Please email my office at Chestermere.Rockyview@assembly.ab.ca subject line “1AND791” and we will forward you the links to give feedback to Alberta Transportation and put you on our contact list for updates. Please make sure that you have your say, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at 403-207-9889 for more information. 
I would like to thank my assistant Peter Tindall for attending the meeting on my behalf.  We will continue to push the government to take action, and hopefully we will see some form of traffic control before the start of the 2017 school year. 
Wednesday, May 3rd marks the 1 year anniversary of the Fort McMurray fires.  I would like to thank all of our First Responders and indeed all Albertans, who came together opening their doors, their wallets, and their hearts for the 80,000 plus people fleeing their homes. 
I can remember sitting in the legislature watching the leader of the Official Opposition, and MLA Tany Yao of Wood-Buffalo, literally running out of the building to head straight into the fire to help.  I remember speaking with them daily finding out about the loss of homes and possessions, and hearing about the bravery of our First Responders.  It is hard to forget the images of families leaving, and the fires burning around them, or the images of the Fire Fighters sleeping on the grass after hours and hours of fighting the fire. 
I remember speaking to Brian Jean as the fire was leaping across the river and burning down his home, and I remember him going to each place that was housing his constituents to make sure that everyone was taken care of.  I do not think there is enough “Thank Yous” in the world for the brave women and men who tried so desperately to save a city.  Thanks to Suncor and Syncrude, who housed so many, and of course Thank You to the people of Chestermere who in one day raised over 25,000 dollars. 
I was proud to speak at the Volunteer Appreciation BBQ at City Hall last Friday evening. Thanks to all the familiar faces who devote so much of their time to our little City. Thanks to Aia Clamp for organizing this and to Mel Porter for the beautiful music. Last Saturday Jed Snatic and Lifepath put on a great community appreciation BBQ for over 1000 people and hosted the Red Cross display. Please donate blood if you are able. As they say, it is “In You To Give”. I hope many of you got out to the Art Guild show. We have some serious talent here in Chestermere! You can see some of it on the Art Wall in my office.
Regrettably, last Sunday I had to miss Holi in John Peake Park. This Hindu festival is one of my favourites and celebrates spring and the triumph of good over evil. People get to throw colours at each other: red for fertility, blue for the god Krishna, yellow for turmeric, a favourite medicinal herb, and green for new beginnings! 
As we move into May, remember Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and hopefully we will see some green grass and a few flowers poking up here and there.  The spiders are already making their homes around my house, and I saw a few robins starting to make their nests.  I hope to see you out and about in Chestermere, and please let us know about events in and around our city as we would love to join you.  As always, we love to hear from you.