Taxpayers Alliance of Blackfalds

10/20/2024

Tell us it's an election year without telling us it's an election year.

It's unfortunate that the spokesperson for our community only comes to and shares community information via social media when his title is at risk.

For what it's worth, have a read.

08/06/2024

The 2025 Budget process has begun.

Tonight's Blackfalds Town Council Standing Committee Meeting Agenda.

07/22/2024

Good morning all, it appears someone has had our little community crowd sourcing page categorized as a business on the Blackfalds Opinions page.

WOW, we can't wait to see the profit sheet! 🤣

Anyway, as of yesterday the admins on that page now restrict us to only posting on freebie Wednesday. Freebie Wednesday is the day reserved for local small businesses and out of respect, after this initial Wednesday, there's a good chance we won't be posting on that page anymore.

Whoever got us blocked is trying to muzzle community voices and input so outside of this Wednesday we will not use freebie Wednesday. We do not want to take attention away from our fantastic local small businesses trying to get their name out there and make a living.

We can't speak for the person blocking, banning and having posts removed but we will not put ourselves above what is best for our community.

We hope you will share, like and follow our page. Get the word out to family and friends in our community.

Enjoy your morning ☕ folks.

07/21/2024

We hope everyone is staying hydrated in this heat. There appears to be some relief in the forecast for Thursday.

Hopefully this Thursday’s Eagle Builders Centre Parking Lot Open House at the Abbey Centre also marks the beginning of the relief we need from this issue created by our 2017-2021 Council and Administration.

There are many reasons to get this right this time.

First and foremost for the residents in the immediate area of the EBC. These folks deserved to be treated better from day one. Remember that the people with the parking lot house were not informed by the Town of Blackfalds about needing their home prior to them walking across the street to that design unveiling open house.

Secondly, our community deserves better than it has been treated in the past. Self-serving lies, primarily that the Town of Blackfalds amending the parking bylaw so the EBC could be permitted to be built in that location would work. Knowledgeable residents have been vocal and tried to participate since day one but were ignored by certain individuals on Council and in Administration.

We knew that reducing the parking requirements from 428 to 329 would not work for a multi-purpose sports facility housing a Junior A hockey team with a library attached. To quote a resident recently, “anyone with a 12th grade education knew that was a terrible location.”

How could anyone at the Town of Blackfalds think increasing the multiplex expansion to a Junior A facility, adding a library and then reducing the parking requirements was going to work? Hey, according to certain elected officials were all just misinformed and spreading misinformation though.

Lastly we must get this right for our Junior A hockey team. The Blackfalds Bulldogs have twice presented to Council in hopes of hosting the Centennial Cup and then the BCHL All-Star Game here in Blackfalds. While there is a huge infrastructure deficit in our community to support these large scale events and for our community to benefit from them, it all begins with getting the EBC right.

The past Council and Administration not only failed our community but they failed our hockey team. While we still require more hotels, restaurants, etc. for our community to fully benefit from provincial, national and/or any international events, it cannot be done with the current state of parking at the EBC nor the bastardised Womacks realignment.

You see, while the Bulldogs BCHL All-Star Game presentation didn't get into as many specifics, the Centennial Cup is televised on TSN. Sure it would be fantastic to see our town showcased on this national level. However, TSN work take up a significant amount of the parking lot with trucks and the equipment associated with such a broadcast. The parking lot is already too small parking lot for league games how would this work out and leave a lasting impression on visitors.

In the BCHL, the Centennial Cup is no longer an option but the Bulldogs are looking at events like the BCHL All-Star Game. Even though there is still a need for lodging facilities so Blackfalds can benefit from any event, we need to help them and get this right.

For these reasons and more, the only option is Options 5. This option allow for future parking expansion. It is also the greatest value and most cost-conscious option for our community.

Secondly, Option 1 should be considered with Option 5. It's time to right a terrible wrong the 2017-2021 Council and Administration forced on this family in our community. The Town of Blackfalds should use the provincial Expropriation Act and finally treat this family in our community fairly.

Option 1 is the most costly and more costly than it would have been had that 2017-2021 Council and Administration acted in good faith, properly and fairly. However, Option 1 opens up the +$30 million facility and gives it the curb appeal it deserves.

Also, the Town rents space in the building to a lcal small business. That business deserves a sign so the community knows they are there. Any future sign could be digital, displaying community events and Bulldogs games. This is an added cost but this page is not about not spending money, it's about getting the greatest value for your tax dollars and adding value to our community.

Like and follow our page to stay up to date on this issue and others, help us build a better Blackfalds. We have the EBC Parking Lot Option shared in an earlier post there.

Stay cool Blackfalds! 😎

Next week!

Join us for an open house where you can review the different options being explored to offer more stalls for EBC parking, and provide your feedback!

Thursday | July 25, 2024
6:00 - 8:00pm
Abbey Centre | Servus Program Room
4500 Womacks Rd | Blackfalds, AB

07/18/2024

You'll never know where you're going if you don't remember where you've been.

We are just a week away from the Eagle Builders Centre Open House at the Abbey Centre.

Click on the pictures for a bit of back story and descriptions.

This information was made possible by community contributors EG, SH, JK and MS. Thank you for committing your time for a better Blackfalds.

We're crowdsourcing the issues affecting our Town to better inform you.

If you have any information to share or an issue you'd like to shine a light on, please send us a DM.

07/17/2024

Monday's Standing Committee Meeting

Click on "...more" and video is ⏱️ stamped for the BMX Supercross Track, Disc Golf and the Urban Hen Pilot Program 1-Year Check In.

Have a listen, many of the concerns raised by residents were brought forward. 👏👏👏 Fantastic job by all of our engaged residents who took the time out of their busy lives to email Council and Administration, RESPECT! 🤜🤛

The urban hen program is a 2-year temporary bylaw that is set to expire next year at which point it sounds like it will automatically become permanent.

Have a particular listen at 1:11:50 where not surprisingly Mayor Hoover tries to quell public engagement on the Urban Hen Pilot Program. It is interesting that he is the only Council Member to do so. He does it under the justification that Administration is busy and their have been no "complaints".

This is Administration's paid job. The Mayor does not show the same empathy for residents that work all day and do not have the time to keep up with everything he'd like to sneak by nor the energy to "complain" at the end of a hard days work and spending time with their family.

Credit to Manager Tejkl for the rational of why residents may not want to "complain", have a listen.

The Urban Hen licencing fee is $70 and to-date their are 5 license for a total of $350. Now, Manager Tejkl says there is no financial impact however unless Administration started working for free, there is always a financial impact.

There is a cost to every resident for 5 people to have Urban Hens. Our guess would be $350 per year does not even cover the hours spent on creating the surveys, bylaw, Council presentations, etc.

Regardless, have a listen if and when you can.

Your voice matters.

Credit to contributor MS for reminding us about the stream.

Video, images and audio contained in a live stream or recording must not be altered, re-purposed or republished without the permission of council.

07/16/2024

Mark your calendar and be sure to have your say!

Eagle Builders Centre Parking Lot Open House
Thursday July 25, 2024
Abbey Centre
6 - 8 p.m.

Stay tuned, more great crowdsourced information to come.

Since the opening of the Eagle Builders Centre, a shortage of parking spaces has been observed. Based on the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) report, a minimum of 58 additional stalls are required. However, the Town is interested in exceeding the minimum by expanding with an additional 100 parking stalls.

Please join us for an open house where you can review the different options being explored to offer more stalls and provide your feedback!

Thursday | July 25, 2024
6:00 - 8:00pm
Abbey Centre | Servus Program Room
4500 Womacks Rd | Blackfalds, AB

07/15/2024

Only a couple of days remaining to have your say on front parking pads!

Click the link, select the "Open Houses" drop down menu and download the fillable pdf comment sheet. Once you have completed the comment sheet, save and submit it via email to:

[email protected]

Thanks to all who have liked and followed our page, please continue to do so.

If you'd like to, please share our page with those you feel may benefit from learning more about our community through respectful, open and honest discussion.

Were you unable to attend the Front Parking Pad Open House last month? Don't worry, you can still provide your comments and thoughts until July 17!

We have the display boards and comment sheets available at http://www.blackfalds.ca/p/planning-development.

07/14/2024

It was interesting when Council approved the construction of a new football only field next to the soon to be open Iron Ridge Secondary Campus (High School). Currently right across the street at the Sterling Industries Sports Park (formerly All-Star Park) there is already a combined ⚽ 🏈 field.

Admittedly, it's not the newest fanciest field and it uses combination soccer goal football uprights but it is definitely serviceable. Installing football specific uprights would have been a cost effective option to developing a whole new field.

At the Council Standing Committee Meeting tomorrow, Administration is recommending bulldozing the fields at Sterling Industries Sports Park and installing a BMX Supercross Track.

Nothing against a BMX Supercross Track but why would we spend money building a new football field when we had one across the street only to bulldoze the existing one.

There are many other issues that arise with bulldozing the entire area for a BMX Supercross Track. Not only is there a combined ⚽ 🏈 field there but this area is also where our children in our community learn to play ⚽ through Timbits Sports.

Has anyone asked where the uprooted Timbits Soccer program will call home?

The secondary underlying concern is parking. Timbits soccer and minor ball have the small Sterling Industries Sports Park parking lot overflowing when there is only a singular sports activity event. Now the new high school does have additional parking available but it's naive to rely on this because who knows how many high school events, sports or otherwise may be taking place at the same time.

Due to short-sightedness, we already have one major parking issue to deal with at the Eagle Builders Centre. Do we really need another?

Lastly, why does the Town of Blackfalds insist on cramming all new infrastructure on this one parcel of land. Our town has grown immensely since the original All-Star Park and Multiplex days. Half of the Blackfalds is on the East side of Hwy 2A yet none of the Town's infrastructure spending is on the East side of Town.

East side resident had to fight for the old skate park to be saved and relocated to Pine Crescent Park. At the time, the Town of Blackfalds was going to give it away and said it wasn't salvageable. Nearly a decade later kids are still able to enjoy it. Although, it is seeing greater degradation due to the Town leaving it up all year long when at the Multiplex they used to remove it for the winter months.

Spreading activities that bring people to our community throughout our community will increase the economic benefit of any infrastructure spending for local businesses. Currently, that Southwest parcel is a quick in and out to the QE2 for visitors.

I hope you will take the time to read and write the Town with your thoughts.

Emails are in the comments.

07/13/2024

Westerner Days Breakfasts and BBQs, mark your 🗓️.

06/29/2024

Fiscal Responsibility 👏

Alberta’s positive 2023-24 fiscal year-end results sets the stage for a prosperous future. We’ve balanced the budget for a third consecutive year, ending the fiscal year with a $4.3 billion surplus.

Highlights include:

➡️ $1.7 billion of debt repaid in 2023-24 with $2 billion allocated for 2024-25

➡️ Growth of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund to a record market value of $22.9 billion

➡️ $3 billion in disaster and emergency relief, including $1.1 billion for wildfires and $1.9 billion to help farmers and producers through the severe drought

➡️ Indexing personal income taxes to inflation, which saved Albertans another $680 million in 2023-24, while those receiving social benefits saw their payments rise

Learn more about the year-end results and read the annual reports: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=90577844A2DF7-F866-2CF6-D1DAC479C9BFC67D