In its ninth year of above-average growth, Blackfalds wants to provide more services for a fast-expanding population while still keeping a lid on taxes.
Town administrators are asking the public to help them with this dilemma by providing input on funding priorities for the 2018 capital budget. An open house is being held on Wednesday. Nov. 29, from 5 to 6:45 p.m., at the Civic Cultural Centre at 5018 Waghorn St.
Blackfalds Mayor Richard Poole encourages town residents to drop in, just before the annual Light Up Blackfalds event starts at 7 p.m., to express opinions on such proposals as new rink and playground construction.
Blackfalds’ population jumped by 4.27 per cent in 2017, surpassing Alberta’s average growth of 1.51 per cent by quite a margin. Poole believes his town, near Hwy 2 and on Hwy 2A, is very popular with families because it’s in a convenient location and has lots of amenities, including a new recreation centre.
Blackfalds’ significant population growth is presenting a challenge for the new council, which wants to increase taxes by only 1.1 per cent in 2018, while moving forward on several larger-scale capital projects.
Among them is the proposed twinning of the multiplex arena. The design and construction would cost $750,000, but both don’t have to happen next year. Poole said the building portion was originally pegged for 2021, in the town’s longer-term plans.
He’s interested in hearing input from town residents about this. How the second arena is built — whether the multiplex arena is expanded, or whether it’s done as a separate project — will be up to residents to decide, said Poole.
Other Blackfalds projects that are under consideration by council are: Phase 2 of solar energy installations at the Civic and Cultural Centre; a new outdoor rink at Pine Crescent, a new playground at Valley Crescent, and moving the old skateboard park’s move-able components to the east side of town.
Poole said town councillors will be at the open house to answer questions from the public.
The town’s capital budget must be finalized before Dec. 31.