Forestburg Mayor, Blaise Young shared his economic and community development vision during a regular council meeting on Mar. 15 and received support from council to explore the concept and conduct further research.
“Our regions history has been documented,” said Young, “but it has never been presented.”
Mayor Young envisions an interactive tourist destination that presents the heritage and history of Forestburg and area in an artistic format.
There are five segments of the park including a tribute to miners and the mining community, a tribute to farmers and central Alberta agriculture, the areas founding and native heritage, and also the geographical history of the Devonian Sea with a Dunkleosteus.
Young’s plans include multiple two metre tall bronze statues to be integrated into each segment and the destination will feature kiosks for vendors, an Alberta flora garden, tourist information centre and the possibility of a museum.
This project would come at a hefty estimated price tag of $2,500,000 and a projected timeline of 12 to 15 years to complete.
Young believes most funding could come from culture, heritage and tourism grants but hopes the village could offer some type of funding as well.
Mayor Young anticipates that this will become a large tourist destination attracting thousands to Forestburg every summer and the economic spin off would be tremendous for the village.
Flagstaff regional emergency services society
Council reviewed the Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Society business plan and determined that the suggested budget is unrealistic and would like for fire halls to be discussed in the plan.
“The budget needs to be re-worked,” Coun. Elaine Fossen stated regarding the proposed plan to regionalize fire protection.
A Regional Emergency Services Society would combine 10 fire stations into one regional service by utilizing the combined resources.
“This is a regional plan,” says Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Debra Moffatt, “this is what is best for the region as a whole, not each sub-region.”
Subdivision committee
Mayor Young, Coun. Coutts and Coun. Devon McNabb will be forming a Subdivision Planning Committee.
This committee with work with administration, a planner and Select Engineering on a subdivision development plan.
In 2016 the village purchased approximately 70 acres with intention to develop a subdivision, with geotechnical, Phase I environmental and wetland assessment studies undertaken in 2017.
Administration has been contacted by two individuals who have been looking for lots in the area and believes now is the time to act on a new residential subdivision.
Emily Wheller
ECA Review
