From a new CAO to infrastructure upgrades, the Village of Rockyford is going through some big changes.
Rockyford gained a new CAO October of 2016. After 22 years as CAO, Lois L. Mountjoy stepped down to have the role of CAO filled by Kevin Sonnenberg. CAO Sonnenberg was previously employed in the Oil and Gas Industry.
CAO Sonnenberg told The Mail, “With the change in the economy the way it is, I was looking for a change.”
Rockyford is also home to the three day Rockyford Rodeo which is a part of the FCA rodeo circuit. Rockyford’s Mayor Darcy J. Burke said 2017 will the 60th anniversary of the Rockyford Rodeo. As part of the celebration there will be special events planned in the community.
Mayor Burke said, “The rodeo takes a bunch of volunteers from the community, it’s a great community promoter. It showcases our rural roots and our community. I am really proud that it’s 60 years for the Rockyford Rodeo.”
2017 will be Rockyford’s third annual Bull-a-rama as part of their Canada Day Celebration. Mayor Burke felt the 2016 Bull-a-rama was a success when the amount of attendees doubled from the year before.
“I see the Bull-a-rama moving forward as a great one day community event. It’s obvious when you’re in rural Alberta and you see all the spectators that come when you put on rodeos and bull-a-ramas, that Rural Alberta is still a pretty important place. People like to still be attached to those roots and traditions,” Mayor Burke said.
Rockyford is a village built on those traditions of rural Alberta. According to Mayor Burke the infrastructure of the town showcases these traditions. There are plans to continue to upgrade many different aspects of the town to stay with this theme.
“Visitors have said walking down the main street of Rockyford is like walking through Heritage Park and we are proud of that.” Mayor Burke said.
According to the Mayor, the Community Center, which was built in the 1960s is currently undergoing a retrofit. The Community Center’s entranceway was designed to stay within the facade of the turn of the century and is 90 per cent complete.
Mayor Burke said, “We will continue utilizing provincial and federal funding through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) for capital replacement of infrastructure. It’s a 10-year replacement plan and we are about five years into this plan. This will include new sidewalks downtown and new sidewalk lighting which will have a turn of the century look keeping up the facade.”
Rockyford is also going to enjoying the new Wheatland water system and is a big part of the establishment of the project.
The Villages of Rockyford, Hussar, and Standard; and Wheatland County created a regional partnership to develop a reliable and cost efficient water supply to these municipalities and the hamlets of Gleichen and Rosebud. This partnership then established the Wheatland Regional Corporation (WRC) to provide a municipal regional water system. According to CAO Sonnenberg, Rockyford has become the administration for WRC. The new water system will help service the villages in the surrounding area, such as Standard, Gleichen, Hussar, Rockyford, and Wheatland County.
CAO Sonnenberg said, “Providing the administration for WRC is just a part of our commitment to the project. It’s basically a new water system that will give us a more consistent supply of water.”
Phase 1 was approved by the government July 30, 2016. The first phase included new raw waste water lines from the reservoirs to the Standard treatment plant. As well as installing a potable water line to Gleichen and will tie in the new Wheatland County School.
Mayor Burke said. “That’s exciting for Gleichen residents because water quality has been an issue. WRC saw this as a priority and so it was included in phase 1.”
Phase 1 was approximately a $22 million project. Government of Alberta will contribute $20 million over five years through the Water for Life program.
“The government approved phase 2 of the project in December of 2016. This will be completed by March of 2018.” Mayor Burke said. “This will have a major impact on this community here and the WRC. We did not expect this to happen for five or six more years.”
Right now Phase 2 is in the design phase and will include an expansion of the water treatment plant in Standard and building of the potable water line to Rockyford. The projected cost for Phase 2 is $18.4 million.
“We are going to see an investment here in the area alone of about $36 million between phase 1 and phase 2.” Mayor Burke said. “I think that’s just a real kudos to the area to see that type of money being spent to insure a basic necessity of life for the residents in this ware. I am really proud of the partnership. I am very pleased with the funding from the federal and Provincial government and the understanding of the need here and being able to approve the project.”
