Getting council more involved in attracting new hotels forms a key plank in the platform of a town councillor hoping to become the City of Lacombe’s first mayor.
Steve Christie, who works in a local insurance office, announced this week that he will join fellow councillor Bill McQuesten in the race to replace Mayor Judy Gordon, who announced earlier that she will not seek reelection on Oct. 18.
Lacombe does not have enough hotel rooms to serve the people who attend cultural events, seminars, weddings and tournaments, said Christie. Half the people who come to enjoy Lacombe’s growing array of facilities are spending their nights in Red Deer because there aren’t enough rooms in Lacombe, he said.
Now serving his second term on town council, Christie said the town has grown from 8,000 to nearly 12,000 people in the last 15 years and that its reputation as a retirement centre no longer fits.
“Schools are bursting at the seams, the spray park is always full, kids programs at the library are jam packed, so it’s obviously changing and it’s great to see,” he said.
“I think it’s a perfect time to get some young people involved and take over the reins of some of the people that have sat on boards and committees and volunteer positions within the community for years and years. If can utilize them to mentor these young people, then we can have future leaders for tomorrow, too.”
bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com