WILKIE - The Town of Wilkie will not be going forward with the five proposed local improvement projects that were the subject of discussion at the town’s Feb. 27 meeting.
The town told the News-Optimist that a valid petition which includes signatures totalling 51 per cent of resident costs, and a majority of property owners was received. The town was then unable to pass the bylaw to undertake the road paving, which was expected to cost over $1.7 million dollars, of which residents were expected to pay $800,000.
According to letters distributed to residents on 4th Street West, 5th Avenue, and 6th Avenue, with one such letter shown to the News-Optimist dated Jan. 20, residents were expected to pay 539.85 per metre.
One resident, Chantele Wiebe, who runs a daycare in Wilkie decided she would pursue her right to submit a petition.
“The consensus was that if our community wanted to do this to improve our community, they needed to come up with a plan and timeline, because there is more than these streets that need to be done,” Wiebe said to the News-Optimist.
After receiving her own letter from the town, she and two other women decided to start the petition, getting 63 per cent of residents to sign, which included the monetary value of their property improvements at $509,473.
“...we all felt that it was a public roadway. It's not our roadway, so it should not be our responsibility. And that was the underlying thought process for everybody who was on board,” Wiebe said, adding that they had hoped for more signatures, but believes that empty lots and some residents not being home may have contributed to that.
“None of us were against improving our town, we just didn’t feel like we had to be the ones to pay for it, considering everybody drives on it,” Wiebe said.
In some cases, residents were expected to pay anywhere in the $8,000 to $26,000 range, depending on where they lived.
“We feel like the town council needs to be a little more realistic and have a little more common sense when it comes to a community effort. Of course, everyone is going to be upset if the whole community has to pay $500 more a year on taxes for so many years, but it’s being a part of the community, it’s what you do.”
Wiebe said that the Town of Wilkie wasn’t disappointed, as they understood it was likely going to happen. She believes that the town must wait another year before attempting local improvement again.
“I guess the town council is going to have to reevaluate … we’re hoping that common sense prevails and hopefully they’ve heard enough people say that it should be a community effort and not just a personal effort.”
