The new year will have Black Diamond council and administration focusing on transportation, economic development and infrastructure, according to the mayor.
Mayor Ruth Goodwin said she looks forward to new developments in Black Diamond following the hard work of council, administration and committees to better improve the community.
Among the highlights is the Intermunicipal Economic Development Committee in partnership with Turner Valley that is working on a study and marketing strategy to better promote the two communities in the future.
“This will help bring together the value in investing in our local economies and communities and will lessen the competition between the two towns and then focus on tourism and also heighten the marketing and success of our local businesses,” said Goodwin. “That will eventually lead to determine whether or not we will be contracting or employing an individual to help the committee and board market our communities.”
Goodwin said council is keen on attracting businesses, builders and developers, and looks forward to upcoming workshops and initiatives from the committee.
This, and other initiatives, can’t be completed without partnerships, which Goodwin said was a strong theme in 2019.
Earlier this year, the Town joined the Foothills Tourism Association, which is making available marketing incentives for local businesses.
The Town has also been working with Foothills County the past two years to develop an annexation plan to expand the town’s property to prepare for future growth. Goodwin said an application was submitted to the county last fall with a reply expected in the new year.
During the past two years, Black Diamond has been working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills on building the Field of Dreams regulation-sized baseball diamond between Black Diamond and Turner Valley after supplying land for the project.
Despite some hiccups in getting the project built, from a bear in the area and threatened swallows nesting nearby to an abundance of rain, Goodwin said it’s expected the facility will be open for youngsters to play ball in the spring.
Earlier this year, Black Diamond underwent a Municipal Accountability Program review through Municipal Affairs, going through policies and bylaws and how the town is run. Goodwin said it came back with six areas requiring improvement, which should be completed shortly.
Work was also done on a community transportation strategy in conjunction with Turner Valley. At its Dec. 4 meeting, Black Diamond council passed four motions to move the project ahead and Goodwin said she looks forward to seeing a future of regional transit for residents.
“The importance of that right now is the changes with the removal of the cap on vehicle insurance and hearing that a lot of people are getting increases to their vehicle insurance of up to 25 per cent and possibly more,” she said. “People are looking at different modes of being able to get around their community and within communities - not only just focusing on their personal needs but also being able to get to and from work. We’re identifying the changes in the province and how that effects our community members.”
One of the motions council passed tasks the Town to move forward with consulting and implementing partners for local transportation, such as the school division and seniors groups.
“It’s ensuring we have partners,” Goodwin said. “We are now facing an ever-changing environment in transportation and transportation needs are going to be re-examined.”
Goodwin said more work will be done on transportation in the coming months to determine how to meet the needs of the town’s less mobile residents.
In the near future, council will review and discuss the future of its downtown streets and Highways 7 and 22 with Alberta Transportation as it plans for the future, she said.
One of the biggest capital projects coming to the forefront for Black Diamond is the utility looping project.
“That’s looking at building and developing water and sewage redundancy in the southeast and northeast residential and business corridors,” said Goodwin. “That will be up for review this coming year. We’ve been saving for the last two years for that.”
Goodwin said she’s excited about what 2020 has in store.
“I think it’s going to be a great year,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the coming year and the successes. I’m feeling very positive about the initiatives that our community is taking.”
Goodwin expressed a sense of pride in the community’s tireless volunteers, from local firefighters to those sitting on committees, as well as the hard work and dedication of local businesses.
“I’m very proud of our local businesses and how they’re working together to make the events that the town sponsors and promotes,” she said.
