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Time solving nothing
High Prairie builder Darrell Shewchuk isn’t the only person wondering where new homes in High Prairie will be built.
In a presentation to town council last week, Shewchuk said he was pleased the old Westridge trailer park will see 26 new home lots coming on stream. But, he asked, where is the planning for even more lots?
It takes a long time to get house lots on stream. Shewchuk figured now is as good a time as any to start plans for when those 26 lots will be sold and gone. We agree.
Also in agreement are other contractors in High Prairie, real estate agents, and, if they haven’t changed their minds, many members of the High Prairie business community.
Almost exactly two and half years ago, mayor John Brodrick huffed and puffed before about 30 people at a Businessperson’s Breakfast Club meeting. He told them High Prairie had a huge supply of housing lots.
“I drove around High Prairie and there are 96 lots available,’’ he bragged.
Then he proceeded to slam anybody who disagreed with that bald-faced lie as being “negative’’ and not having the best interests of the community at heart. Then he stomped out. 96 lots? Give us a break.
As if that wasn’t good enough, about a year later, at a meeting between town council and the Chamber of Commerce, council was again asked, where is the planning for the future of High Prairie.
The same mayor waved around a document called the 2006 Municipal Development Plan. “Here it is right here.’’ Then he scowled at anybody who might dare to want to know what was in the little book.
Even now, almost a year and a half later, anybody who actually reads that piece of work will say, “It’s nice there are coloured maps showing where I might be able to build a new house one of these years. Really nice.’’
Guess what? In the end, a coloured piece of paper still doesn’t turn an open field into a new subdivision.
Carrying on the tradition of dumping on people who ask questions, a town staffer once again two weeks ago at an open house, berated a local citizen for, you guessed it, asking questions about residential lots.
96 lots? Smoke and mirrors. Negative? Nope, just wanting to know where one can build a house this fall, next summer, and the year after that. Two and one half years later after “96 lots,’’ the proof is right in front of everybody’s face. It was just a story to shut people up. Two and a half years! Unbelievable.
In fact, all those business people asking questions are being positive and optimistic. They want to see the community grow. They want new subdivisions and new homes that show High Prairie is moving forward. Telling stories and labelling people is in no way productive.
Instead of running down citizens or feeding them tall tales, get to work and show some real results. Is that too much to ask?
Jeff Burgar
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