Some of the stories in this week's Airdrie City View highlight the impact of robust civic engagement and the benefits of being actively involved in the municipal government process.
A case in point: our lead story about City council's adoption of a new beaver management plan. In the past, the City resorted to lethally trapping beavers that were causing property damage to trees along the banks of Nose Creek.
But residents of the Waterstone community whose houses backed onto Nose Creek took issue with that morbid strategy. Upset about the City's practice of killing beavers, they reached out to a wildlife advocacy organization in British Columbia, who was eager to lend their voice to the Waterstone residents' opposition. That advocacy led the City to pursue a wildlife management strategy that seeks to better co-exist with problem beavers rather than simply exterminate them.
Another example of civic engagement is the ongoing push to install an artificial turf sports field at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park. This has been a topic we've reported on several times since 2019, when local football coach Chris Glass first came to us to discuss and promote the vision. His and other members of the city's football community's efforts have led to the City's adoption of the project. Now a few years later, it truly feels like the turf field is going to happen.
These are just two examples of citizen engagement leading to noticeable change at the local government level. While it's easy enough to criticize municipal leaders in a Facebook or Twitter post, the reality is if you have a legitimate concern or suggestion for a way to improve Airdrie in some way, the local government will probably be willing to listen to you.
There's plenty of ways to enact change in your community, regardless if you're a politically elected representative or a citizen. If you have a great idea or legitimate criticism like the two case studies we mentioned, we're positive the City of Airdrie is willing to hear it.
