Cold Lake is moving ahead with plans to annex about 11 quarter sections of land, and Mayor Craig Copeland says it has a lot to do with cleaning up the way the city looks on the map.
“The shape of our city is really odd, and we’re just trying to clean up and make it more of a rectangular shape.” says Copeland. “The land west of Highway 28 belonged to the MD of Bonnyville, so this annexation should make our boundaries more of a rectangular shape”
The shape on the map isn’t the only reason for the annexation, however, with Copeland also saying that drainage and water run off are being factors. “We’ll have better control of the drainage corridors for the city, with water going from storm water ponds to the Beaver River.”
Copeland also likes the ability to control development, as well as transportation corridors, and says “The City will function that much more effectively.”
With the annexation project reaching around 5 years in planning, Copeland says the feedback from the public has been largely positive, and expects an answer by the end of 2018.