Wetaskiwin

WETASKIWIN, ALBERTA AT A GLANCE WETASKIWIN, ALBERTA WHAT: Progressive western Canadian city, population ap- prox. 13,000 WHERE: 45 minutes from Edmonton, AB WEBSITE: www.wetaskiwin.ca involved in addressing improvements to efficien- cies,and developing a strategicmaster plan,going forward.His affablemanner highlights his pleasure with the job and the cityhe’s come to adore.He jokes,“I came here a year and a half ago and,I tell you,the first sixmonths were a busy three years.” Many impressive initiatives have taken place on the green sustainability front.Wetaskiwin’s new City Hall, a former provincial courthouse built in 1907,was renovated in 2005 with a geothermal energy system for heating and cooling.The Drill Hall building is powered by 108 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels from NuEnergy, a leading Alberta sup- plier of renewable energy products. Excess energy is fed back into the grid.An additional 30 solar panels on the ManlukAquatic Centre help heat the training pool.All city street lights are LED, city council activities are paperless, there is an electric vehicle charging station, and fiber optic cable is available to 90 percent of homes and businesses. A three-component Environmental Sustainabili- ty Program promotes development while encour- aging environmental stewardship.The program includes a Low FlowToilet Rebate; a Solar Panel Rebate; and a Green Building Rebate that offers builders or homeowners who build to a Built Green, R2000, or LEED standard a full rebate of the development fee. Burgess notes,“We’ve got a very interesting recycling program.Our diversion rate from the landfill is sitting at 60 percent, and, if you can believe it, that’s with no curbside service.We have a convenient drive-through distribution center that’s second to none.When I first came here, I was shocked, then when I saw how successful it was, it’s almost like you don’t want to foul that up by changing where we’re at. It’s amazing howwell the public have bought into this.We’re still ex- ploring ways to increase recycling even more. But we have a very superior drop-off depot that’s so well utilized we don’t want to mess that up. Residents can drop off at any time. Staff is on hand, and bins are well marked for separating. Best of all -no separation costs associated with curbside pickup.” Wetaskiwin investment in infrastructure upgrades, as part of the ambitious Main Street Revitalization Project, includes a roundabout and Jubilee Park,with an amphitheatre for commu- nity events.There is also a state-of-the-art recreation facility, the