It might not be the big apple, but the Town of Lacombe set to taste life as a city.
The Town of Lacombe council voted unanimously on Monday to move forward with the proposal to switch Lacombe from town to city status as of Sept. 5.
The date was chosen because it was the day the province became incorporated.
Lacombe will have to apply to the minister of municipal affairs and then it will go to the cabinet before being approved.
Lacombe Mayor Judy Gordon said with Lacombe having a population of close to 12,000, after public consultation on the matter, it seemed like a good idea to move forward with the plan to become a city. The town did some public hearings and a survey, which showed 92 per cent of people in the community favoured the move to city status.
“It’s a good way to show people that we’re on the move and we’re progressive and we’re ready, willing and able to say come on and live here it’s a great place,” Gordon said. She hopes it also might mean enticing more businesses to the area, especially with Lacombe’s location along the corridor from Edmonton to Calgary.
But despite becoming a city, Gordon doesn’t expect things to change much in the community. She said it will be important to maintain the quality of life within Lacombe, with importance continuing to be placed on historic buildings and having a small town appeal.
There will only be one change that comes with the change in municipal status. After becoming a city Lacombe will then be responsible for maintaining Hwy 2A near the community, but not before the provincial government does substantial upgrades on the road, Gordon explained.
She said there are no plans to increase taxes and becoming a city doesn’t mean any more money for the municipality from the provincial government.
The Town of Lacombe has existed for more than 100 years, having celebrated its centennial a few years ago.
sobrien@www.reddeeradvocate.com