Airdrie Minute: Issue 69

Airdrie Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Airdrie politics

📅 This Week In Airdrie: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:00 am, Council will hold a special meeting to review questions related to a proposed sewer bylaw amendment. The bylaw was previously tabled to allow members of Council time to submit detailed questions about overstrength effluent surcharges, fairness, enforcement, and infrastructure impacts. A list of questions has now been compiled and will be addressed by Administration during the meeting. Staff from relevant departments will be on hand to answer follow-up inquiries. Council will be asked to decide whether to proceed with the bylaw at a future meeting or to provide alternative direction. Administration noted that any changes to the bylaw could affect the 2025 budget, as the surcharge program is a planned revenue stream. The City will update its industrial wastewater monitoring webpage with new information based on Council’s direction.
  
  
• Tomi Adenipekun is running for a seat on Airdrie City Council, aiming to build trust between citizens and their government. With degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering and experience on federal and provincial boards, he focuses on solving problems efficiently by addressing the “pain points” between residents, City staff, and developers. His platform emphasizes reducing taxes, improving traffic through smart infrastructure, and promoting transparent governance. Adenipekun also highlights the need for Airdrie to seek independent water sources rather than relying on Calgary. He is passionate about voter education, ensuring residents understand municipal responsibilities and the importance of their votes. Through town halls and direct engagement, he wants to make sure Airdronians’ voices are heard and officials are held accountable.
  
  
• Local football coach Chris Glass is also running for Airdrie City Council with a campaign focused on building the city’s future through four key pillars: sport tourism infrastructure, community partnerships, transparency, and diversity. Having previously run in 2021, Glass is known for successfully advocating for the re-turfing of Ed Eggerer Athletic Park. This time, he wants to ensure projects like the Southwest Recreation Centre are sustainable long-term. He also emphasizes the need to rebuild strong community connections that he believes have weakened since his last campaign. Glass advocates for greater transparency in City Hall, aiming to ask the right questions to help Administration make better decisions. Additionally, he believes promoting diversity will enrich Airdrie both culturally and economically. Already active in the community, Glass was this year’s Canada Day Parade marshal and was voted Best Citizen in the Airdrie Readers’ Choice Awards.
  
  
• The City of Airdrie has completed restoration work on Gwacheon Park, located within Nose Creek Park, celebrating the long-standing sister-city relationship with Gwacheon, South Korea. The park features six restored totem poles gifted by Gwacheon in 2007, as well as refreshed landscaping, new interpretive signs, and a traditional Korean archway. Mayor Peter Brown emphasized the importance of preserving spaces like Gwacheon Park as reflections of Airdrie’s diverse heritage and public art. Cultural elements such as the butterfly symbol of Gwacheon have been woven into the park’s design. The reopening celebration featured speeches, music, and performances from both local and Korean artists. 
  
  
• Recent data shows that one-bedroom rental prices in Airdrie have dropped 8.1% compared to last year, averaging $1,489 and placing Airdrie 48th among Canada's top 60 rental markets. Two-bedroom units also saw a year-over-year decrease of 12%, with an average rent of $1,795. Nationally, average rents declined by 2.7% annually in June, continuing a trend of decreasing rents over the past nine months, though prices remain higher than two to three years ago due to inflation. The biggest rent drops were seen in condos and houses or townhomes, while purpose-built rentals declined slightly. Smaller units like studios have seen stronger rent growth over three years, while Alberta recorded the largest annual decline in apartment rents at 3.1%. Overall, rental prices are softening across many regions, especially in larger cities and more expensive markets.
   

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

With a municipal election coming up, now is the time to get involved. We're working to make sure voters have the information they need and that local issues stay in the spotlight. Your help can make a real difference.

Join the movement for better local government. Register to volunteer today:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!