Slave Lake Town councillors say they’ll request a meeting with the province’s Transportation minister, Ed Stelmach, to find out why that department needs so much Crown property for highway widening. And they’ll also ask why it took the department more than a decade to realize it needed a certain quarter section of land for future highway widening.
Town Chief Administrative Officer Jay Simons researched the background of the South Area Structure plan in recent months. And in doing, so discovered various provincial departments – specifically Transportation – have ‘stymied’ the community’s plans to expand south of Hwy. 2. “The Town has invested considerable time and money through the development and implementation of Area Structure Plans as well as the installation of infrastructure such as oversized sanitary sewer lines and lift stations.
“All the planning for the south area for the past 13 years has been based on the Southwest Area Structure Plan adopted in 1989 as well as an updated plan — the South Expansion Joint Area Structure plan – (that was) commenced in September of 2000,” said Simons.
But it’s only recently that the department admitted it’s not ready to give up the land. That’s why Simons suggested council send a letter to Stelmach outlining the problems his department has created for the municipality – and requesting his permission to purchase the quarter section – the southeast quarter of 35-72-6-W5. That’s the land directly west of Caribou Trail after it crosses Hwy. 2 and heads toward Gloryland Estates.
Alternately, he suggested, council could ask to meet with the minister to explain its conundrum and make an offer to purchase.
“That’s the only way to go,” said Councillor George Snider at council’s committee meeting last week.
He was referring to Simons’ latter suggestion to request a meeting.
“Does Transportation want a strip all along Hwy. 2?” asked Councillor Shirley Torresan- Chykerda.
“That’s what they’re saying,” replied Engineering and Operations director Allan Anderson, “but I’m still waiting for a reply” to a letter asking that specific question.
“I think they misunderstood” the Town’s intent, offered Snider, adding a face-to-face meeting with Stelmach and MLA Pearl Calahasen at the table is usually an effective way to set the record straight.
“The best results we’ve had is to ask for a meeting – everyone will be there.” Snider is the public works manager for the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River. But Torresan- Chykerda wasn’t convinced.
“I think this is just their excuse to hang onto the land,” she said. “This is land that was promised then pulled away.”
Vowing to meet with Stelmach, Mayor Ray Stern said he’ll also ask Simons and Operations director Allan Anderson to accompany him to the meeting, “and Councillor Torresan-Chykerda on one of her mean days,” he added with a grin.

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