Ponoka & District Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year 2008 Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Vol. 65, No. 28
403-783-3311
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DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION OF PONOKA
New MDP in first stages of consultation By Jeffrey Heyden-Kaye
Colourful dancers: The Ermineskin Powwow grand entry July 7 was full of colour and dancers from across North America. A cheque for $3,500 and cash donations of $612 were presented to assist flood victims at the Siksika Nation. More photos on page 9.
An overarching development plan for the Town of Ponoka is in its first stages of public consultation. The first discussion of the proposed Municipal Development Plan (MDP) was held July 3 at the Kinsmen Community Centre with planning consultant Bob Riddett chairing the meeting. He introduced the plan to a small audience. Sixteen years have passed since the MDP was changed, said Riddett. “It’s seen a lot of changes since then.” The Town of Ponoka has annexed land for future industrial and residential development and this plan needs to detail what happens in the future. Economic development, downtown Ponoka, utilities and health and safety are among the many topics addressed and councillors want to know how residents feel about their ideas. Comments from the evening will provide an opportunity for Riddett and the planning committee to adjust the proposed MDP. “We will take it to town council with those changes and invite them to give first reading of the bylaw,” explained Riddett. He does not feel having a new council decide on this plan would be fair. Riddett believes September is a realistic timeline for the MDP to be finalized. Danny Lineham, a member of the economic development board, was an attendee who wondered how Ponoka looks now compared to the 1997 MDP. “This sounds good but is it going to happen?” Riddett says there has been some growth in the town but “Ponoka is not a rapidly growing community.” At times there is only a one-per-cent population growth over the year and sometimes less than that but the MDP prepares for certain changes. “Even if the town doesn’t grow within the term of a MDP it always helps to have this stuff in place. So if you get a boom…Or if something changes, a lot of the pre-planning is done, a lot of the approval is in place,” explained Riddett. Continued on page 2
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