CARSTAIRS - With the town set to reach the 5,000 population mark in 2022, Carstairs Mayor Lance Colby says he expects the new year to be a busy time for the municipality, with projects including upcoming negotiations with the RCMP.
“It will be busy year for the town,” Colby said Dec. 31. “And I think it is going to be a good year; we just have to work our way through this COVID. We are looking forward to being busy again and we should have a lot going on.”
One big project will see work continue on the Mandalay neighbourhood project, a large-scale, new development area on the town’s east side off Highway 2A.
“We are looking forward to seeing Mandalay further developed,” he said.
Overall development in town is also expected to pick up speed in the new year, he said.
“I think we have possibly three new builders coming into different areas in town,” he said. “We haven’t seen their specs yet but it looks like it is going to be a good year in housing if everything holds together.
“We want to get all the developers going and making sure that developments go the way they would like and we would like to see. We are looking forward to that.”
The town will see the opening of the new Carstairs fire hall early in 2022, he noted.
As well, a new road is being built into the town’s campground, located just east of Highway 2A.
“Everything will be complete for the campground and we will be ready to go in, hopefully, in May.”
Work at the town-owned Carstairs Golf Club is also continuing, he said.
“We are doing the cart paths and paving them. We are happy about that,” he said.
With the town’s population set to hit 5,000, the municipality will be working closely with RCMP officials, he said.
“We will be dealing with the RCMP and starting negotiations with them and talking to them about what we need in our town and for building a station for them,” he said.
There will also be changes at the town office in 2022, he said.
“One of the big things for will be looking for a new (chief administrative officer),” he said, noting current chief administrative officer Carl McDonnell is scheduled to retire in June.
A former Calgary police officer, Colby was re-elected by acclamation in the 2021 municipal election.
