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.
Mayor Larry Henkelman feels there has been some growth in certain areas of Ponoka. The trail system has expanded, the truck route along 50 Street has been improved and there has been more industrial land available.
“The north railroad crossing, that was a big expense for the town,” he said. “So that was always in the plan.”
Jamil Rawji was asked to be on the MDP committee and he sees this as a general guideline for the community. “There’s some great ideas in there.”
Lineham’s concern is whether this report will sit and see no action as with the 2007 Avi Friedman downtown report.
“Is this a plan we can expect some of the reasonable things in here will happen or are they just going to remain on the wait list?” he asked.
Ponoka’s vision of the future is a large part of the MDP, explained Betty Jurykoski, planning and development officer. “We have a plan for our roads, for our dangerous goods, for our sewer systems.”
“We would like to benefit by re-developing our river valley as the town has had opportunity to purchase land,” she added.
The MDP also enables Jurykoski a means to ensure development continues as part of the overall vision of the town.
Another benefit of the MDP is that it gives councillors a chance to make informed decisions, explained Coun. Loanna Gulka. “I can look at something like this and say, ‘Does this fit?’”
Future councils can use it to guide their decisions as well, added Henkelman.
This MDP is only a guideline and Bruce Clark, an economic development board committee member, suggests action must be taken for Ponoka to see growth. “Now we’ve got to work together and encourage that investment and private enterprise.”
Without the MDP the town might not be prepared when there is development, explained CAO Brad Watson. “It’s a framework so if all of this development comes forward there doesn’t have to be a scramble.”
One concern raised is over the speed of vehicles along 50 Street coming into town from Highway 2A. Mary McArthur sees trucks and pickups travelling at high rates of speed and is concerned. “They’re too big and moving way too fast. Even the guys on the pickup trucks,” she stated.
She feels road safety should be addressed on that street.
There was not much else feedback on the MDP except to possibly show an overlay of the old MDP onto the proposed one.
Riddett will take feedback from the meeting and make any changes. Then council will be asked to give first reading after which a public meeting will be held.