The Athabasca District Chamber of Commerce is putting a call out to all members and business owners for their thoughts on the new school, pool and library/archives being located by the Athabasca Regional Mutiplex.
Relocating these institutions to the west hill has met with some resistance, much of which was aired at a public meeting held by concerned community members July 3.
“Are we going to take a position?” chamber member Noel Major asked during the chamber’s regular meeting last Wednesday.
Chamber member Steve Splinter said yes.
“A lot of us do have businesses in mind. I think what is happening here is there is a lot of variety of focus groups. Opinions ‘R’ Us,” he said. “I think the chamber should have a role, and it needs to have a role in this. I think we can walk the line quite carefully looking at it from a business point of view.”
Splinter pointed out that a new “Cornwall” may develop on the west hill if the school is built there.
“That wouldn’t be a bad thing,” he said. “We have a lot of pessimists complaining.”
Chamber president Penny Semashkewich said that most business owners in town live in the county.
“I do believe the chamber needs to be the bridge for our county and town,” she said.
Chamber member Ida Edwards said the whole process is still a work in progress.
“That is the hardest thing,” Edwards said. “I’m feeling it is a lot of smoke and mirrors on both sides.”
Semashkewich explained there is information out there.
“People are just not doing their job of getting the knowledge,” she said.
Semashkewich explained the community probably couldn’t sustain a stand-alone library anymore.
“It needs to be a research centre. It needs to have board room and have multi-uses,” she said.
The chamber will discuss the topic more at its executive meeting before the end of the month.
