Mayor Romane says Innisfail to continue ‘aggressive’ approach in 2019

On December 12, the provincial and federal governments jointly announced a new senior’s lodge for Innisfail.

The Autumn Glen Lodge will include 60 new lodge units and 30 self-contained apartments to provide flexible housing options, allowing Innisfail residents to stay close to home as they grow older, replacing an existing 57-year-old facility in Innisfail.

“It’s very encouraging because our current Autumn Glen has been very busy, it’s been full to capacity for a number of years,” he explains. “Not only is it lacking in size and space for more seniors to access but it was outdated with narrow hallways and small rooms but mechanically it was sound. Then we’ve got a developer right now that’s doing some great lots I think that people that are downsizing are going to be encouraged by too. ”

Romane says council has adopted a very aggressive strategy to meet with businesses and see what they can do to help local businesses.

“You know, is there something The Town can do in the way of cooperating or helping with getting bureaucracies minimized?” he explains. “We have some significant employers in town in manufacturing, Mansville Insulation and Bilton Manufacturing and a number of people that employ sizeable numbers of people. So we’re working with them on future plans and if they’re considering expansions, what their needs are and what we should be preparing for in their view.”

Romane describes the process as being well received.

“A lot of them have made the point this is the first time they’ve ever had a council come to them and say ‘What can we do for you?’” he exclaims. “It’s encouraging and I think it’s a good move. We also planned a brand new skateboard park and it’s going to be started first thing in the spring, so we’ve got a few things happening.”

He says a major facilities study is also underway to determine what recreational needs remain unmet in the community.

“It’s going to have some recommendations, as well as improvements that have to be made on current facilities,” states Romane. “We’re excited to see what it comes back with and we’ll keep moving forward but our whole goal here is to try and make Innisfail a little more appealing to younger families. You know, what are young families looking at for relocating to Innisfail, because a lot of these manufacturers that employ 200 people, a hundred or more of them are probably living out of town and haven’t moved here.”

According to Romane, Town entry ways, aesthetics and overall appearance are other areas of concern identified by the Innisfail business community.

“One fella with a sizeable industrial business said ‘We’ve got to fix up our industrial area, it doesn’t present itself very well at all’,” he laments. “And he was being very general about it but he said he doesn’t even like to encourage a big customer to come to his office, he would sooner meet him downtown or something because of the appearance of the area.”

Romane says there are ideas on how to address the concern and points-out the property owners are all on board with making the area more presentable.

“We’re looking at some significant changes,” adds Romane. “That’s our existing industrial areas and we’ve got some expanding areas to do down in those same parts, so it’s all part in parcel of beautification but also for access in the new areas that are going to be developed down there as well.”

Finally, working closely with administration and establishing a strong relationship with new CAO Todd Becker is also a priority moving forward says Romane.

“He’s been with us now I think a year and a half,” Romane recalls. “Todd Becker has done wonderfully as far as getting all of the administration together and working together on different projects. It’s been very rewarding and satisfying as a council to see what’s going on in the way of the staff and their approach to curtailing expenses and keeping staff to the minimum and have done very well in those regards.”

Overall, Romane feels council is happy with their accomplishments in 2018 and they now look forward to what can be accomplished in 2019.

by Sheldon Spackman and Troy Gillard

Mayor Romane says Innisfail to continue ‘aggressive’ approach in 2019

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