The Mail reached out to Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg towards the end of 2021 to learn more about how the Town of Drumheller has fared over the past year--from accomplishments and successes to overcoming challenges.
1. With the municipal election there are some new faces on council. What were some of the biggest accomplishments the previous council achieved during the last year, and what are some of the projects the new council has been working towards since their election in October?
There are so many to name! I encourage readers to review the article published on January 27, 2021, that really celebrates in detail many of the amazing things the previous Council achieved during their term.
There were many community-focused accomplishments, including economic development, beautification, planning of SL4 construction, many larger-named films, and almost $60 million in grant funding was secured during 2017-2021.
Vacancy rates downtown and the industrial area are the lowest they have been in years. The previous Council was dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents of our Valley by adding and streamlining services, making our community more attractive, revitalizing our Downtown, and reducing red tape. I cannot thank them enough for their hard work, and the legacy they leave in our community is incredible.
Our current Council met with Administration in December to develop a four-year strategic plan, which will be presented to the public in the next coming weeks. We have been working hard together to make sure everyone is caught up and trained on the many moving parts that are within running a Municipality. We are ready to hit the ground running on several new initiatives, completing a number of existing projects and we are excited to be sharing them with the community.
2. What have been some challenges the Town has faced (aside from the COVID-19 pandemic) and how has Town/council dealt with these issues as they arose?
The Flood Mitigation Project will continue to pose challenges to Council and Administration, as it has many layers, many of which are sensitive. Our current team is working with our community with prompt, two-way communication with our residents. This has helped immensely to build trust in the project. We are grateful to have such a strong team behind this.
Outdoor entertainment certainly saw challenges over the spring toward the fall. Entertainment was hard to find, both due to already being booked or not feeling ready to be out in crowds. Our Event Coordinator worked hard to deliver entertainment throughout our warmer season and did a fabulous job adding diverse events. It was unfortunate to not have our typical Canada Day celebration for 2021, however, the funding did supplement other events throughout the year.
The teams involved in the Canada Day planning are meeting later this month to kick off the celebration for 2022.
Costs associated with accessing indoor recreation have been a known challenge for some time. We approved a more comprehensive, more accessible fee assistance program through Community Development and Social Planning and our Recreation Team. Additionally, we reevaluated our membership rates to our facilities to be more competitive to other municipalities, while ensuring financial barriers could be reduced even more. We want residents to use our facilities and reducing costs and adding additional programs is a great step to achieving that.
Supply shortages and the cost of goods is another challenge that is not unique to Drumheller. One example would be our downtown plaza project. We were awarded $940,000.00 in grant funding for this project and at the time had to use it before the end of the calendar year. The tender process resulted in bids that far exceeded our tight budget, causing us to pause and do a complete redesign on this project. We were fortunate enough to receive an extension to use the funding, allowing our team time to make further adjustments.
3. There were several changes to the Flood Mitigation Program over the last year, including the added pressures of a citizen’s petition and Municipal Affairs looking into the program over the summer. How have these changes impacted the Flood Mitigation Program, if at all, and what can residents look forward to with the program in 2022?
The flood team has had numerous community meetings and they will continue over the life of this project. As well, they have been communicating with neighborhoods directly so they can focus on specifics for the area. We look forward to seeing several berms built in 2022. There will also be a focus on an emergency management plan, so the Valley is prepared for future climate and environmental changes.
4. What are some big projects (infrastructure or otherwise) the Town hopes to work on in the coming year, or that are in the process of being planned for the next few years?
Council will be reviewing the capital budget proposed by Administration in January. There are a number of infrastructure-related items, like lift/pump stations, culverts, and bridges that need upgrading. We’ve been working with CN Rail to expand our trail system. There will be a lot more to share once the capital budget and our strategic priorities are made available to the public.
A personal goal of mine as Mayor is to really inspire kindness throughout the Valley. There are so many ways we all can invigorate kindness in and celebrate the wonderful community we are.
Also, the Old Hospital demolition will make room for future developments...I am very excited about this one!
5. The Ghostbusters: Afterlife premiere in November was such a great event for the Town. What would you say were some major highlights this year for the Town?
We’ve had over 11 film projects in the Valley in 2021, which is the most we’ve had in a very long time. The real estate market was certainly hot this year, residential, commercial, and industrial alike. Seeing the new businesses investing in the Valley is a big highlight for this Council.
Another highlight from an administrative point, is we have been able to fill vacancies with strong candidates to help our organization, and in turn, our community, thrive.
Finally, again I encourage readers to review the article published on January 27, 2021, that really celebrates in detail many of the amazing things the previous Council achieved during their term and this Council will continue to move forward on everything that was started.
Please follow the town websites at https://www.drumheller.ca and https://floodreadiness.drumheller.ca for up-to-date information and the town and the flood program.
Wishing you all the best in 2022!
