Nathan Petherick is broadening his reach to include all of Central Alberta.The former manager of planning for Mountain View County, who was let go earlier this month as part of a corporate reorganization, Petherick is now offering his expertise as principal of NEDIA Consulting Group.The Olds-based company will provide planning, communication, design, research and project management services within the region extending north to Red Deer, south to Airdrie, west to Sundre and Rocky Mountain House, and east to Drumheller, Trochu and Three Hills.ìIt's a large area and it's an opportunity to carve out a service in Central Alberta for Central Alberta,î Petherick told the Gazette last week.On the community planning side, Petherick said his company will assist landowners ìfrom start to finish,î helping them develop their proposals, move their applications through the system, and manage the conditions of approval until ìthey have the titles in their hand.îìThe intent is to provide complete services for landowners,î Petherick said. ìSome are comfortable moving it along themselves, some want partial support, some want it from beginning to end.îThe company will also provide strategic planning services to rural and urban municipalities in the region, engaging associates on specific projects. These could include consultations and reviews for municipal development plans, areas structure plans, concept plans, and policy or program development.ìEach municipality has unique needs and we're willing to look at what those are and help them move forward.îUnlike larger consultant firms with strings of branch offices, NEDIA is based in the region and ìhas the ability to provide a cost-effective service,î Petherick said.Petherick, 33, was appointed manager of planning for Mountain View County in January 2008 and during his tenure served as lead planner on major initiatives such as the Netook Crossing business park developments. Previously he spent three and a half years in northern Alberta as director of planning for Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency.Originally from Kamloops, Petherick earned a master's degree in community and regional planning at University of British Columbia and has worked for the United Nations Development Program on community planning initiatives in New Amsterdam, Guyana.Petherick had no criticism for the county's reorganization plan, which cost him and six others their jobs.ìI'm going to miss working at the county (but) I respect their decision.îAs well as establishing NEDIA in Central Alberta, Petherick said he is looking at ìa wide array of other opportunities. Things are happening,î he said.The company website is www.nedia.ca.
