Airdrie Minute: Issue 83

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

📅 This Week In Airdrie: 📅

• Airdrie’s 2025 municipal election brought significant changes, with four new Councillors joining incumbents Ron Chapman and Candice Kolson. The newcomers are Chris Glass, Kristen Shima, Simisola Obasan, and Chad Stewart, while incumbents Al Jones and Darrell Belyk were not re-elected. For the Rocky View Schools public school board (Ward 3), incumbents Melyssa Bowen and Fred Burley were re-elected alongside newcomer Jeremy Klug. 
  
  
• Heather Spearman was elected Mayor with 5,291 votes, pledging to focus on affordability, regional transit, and growth as her first priorities. She emphasized maintaining transparency and representing all residents, including those who did not vote for her, and plans to engage the community through surveys and open dialogue. Spearman highlighted the need to balance city growth with fiscal responsibility, noting extensive capital projects over the next decade while ruling out steep tax increases. Voter turnout was 23.6%, slightly up from 2021, and long lineups at three polling stations were attributed to new provincial voter-list requirements and limited space for hand-counting ballots. Spearman thanked fellow candidates and stressed collaboration with Council to address the city’s needs. Spearman and the new Council were sworn in on Friday.
  
  
• The Airdrie 1st Club has launched its 2025 Holiday Hamper Program, replacing traditional food hampers with grocery gift cards to allow families to choose culturally appropriate meals. The program, which expects to provide 375 hampers this year, emphasizes dignity and empowerment for recipients. Donations of gift cards, toys, or money (via e-transfer, mail, or ATB Cares) are being encouraged, with tax receipts available for contributions over $20. The annual Sirens’ Hockey Game, featuring firefighters versus police, will take place on November 29th from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm at the Ron Ebbesen Blue Arena, raising funds and donations for the program. New this year, recipients will be invited to complete exit surveys to help improve the program. The club also plans to open a new donation and distribution centre on November 21st.
  
  
• Airdrie mixed-media artist Brad Holt received a Calgary Stampede commission to create an original piece for top sponsors, titled Raised Right, framed in an antique chuckwagon wheel to honour Western heritage. Growing up on a farm near Strathmore and inspired by his grandmother’s prairie landscapes, Holt aimed to capture the values of family, hard work, perseverance, and a connection to the land. The work celebrates Alberta’s agricultural roots and the efforts of early settlers, while also reflecting the broader values of the West. Holt, a full-time artist for 17 years, combines acrylic paint and photography in layered, photo-realistic landscapes, often framing pieces with reclaimed materials. The Stampede gala featured sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Wrangler, Budweiser, Encore, and GMC, and Holt later shared another commission marking Techmation’s 30th anniversary, similarly emphasizing heritage and hardworking people.
  
  
• More than 200 members of Airdrie’s business community attended the 27th Annual Airdrie Regional Business Awards, hosted by the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce and presented by EllisDon. Forty-five finalists were recognized across 10 categories, celebrating local entrepreneurs, innovators, and organizations contributing to the region’s economic growth and community development. Notable winners included The Sage Mustang (Emerging Business), Apple Creek Golf Course (Community Attraction), Airdrie Health Foundation (Community Spirit), Blue Grass Nursery, Sod & Garden Centre (Employer Excellence), Funky Petals Airdrie (Exemplary Service), The Hair Lounge (Greatest Impact), Hexagon Psychology (Innovation), Airdrie Alarm & Surveillance (Legacy Business), The Pest Control Guy Inc. (Business of the Year), and Blake Clark of Cam Clark Ford (Hugh Hamilton Business Leader Award). 
   

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Did you read our coverage of the recent election results?

Click here to learn more about your new Council.

🪙 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!