I refer to the article on the Gazette’s Jan. 3 front page: 'How do you want your city to grow?' and also the survey last summer.
The main thing that came out was that the general public mostly wanted “The small town feel” of St. Albert, yet we seem to be pushing growth in all directions, in complete contradiction to this. There are towns and cities in North America where growth is pegged, or at least halted for a while, and they don't seem to go broke.
I have spoken to councillors and mayors of several municipalities over the years as to why growth is necessary, and never received a satisfactory answer. Yes, more taxes come in, but the focus is often on the new infrastructure, rather than upgrading what is needed for those who have been there longer.
Peter Jansen, St. Albert
