Moment with the Mayor

That time of year has arrived in Lloydminster when we start to see what winter and snow have been hiding since January.  We start to see litter and garbage, broken branches and leaves, trash and other debris that was hidden by the clean white that snow is.  As a community, we have the opportunity to join in and work together as a family, friends, neighbours, co-workers or even as individuals to clean up and get everything ready to turn green.  The Pitch-In campaign has been running for 57 years and we can all participate.

The weather is changing, and we’re all out doing more yard work. As we pick up the trash that has blown around our yards and neighbourhoods, you may find that the green bin fills easily. The green compost bin is a great tool to reduce the amount of material going to our landfill. It’s your space for organic material such as grass clippings, leaves and food waste in certified compostable bags. Tree branches can be included in the if they fit completely in the bin.

Our community has a long list of people, groups, organizations and businesses who have contributed to making Lloydminster what it is today. Everywhere you look in our community, you can see first-hand the results of countless hours of planning, fundraising and building. Many of these amenities started as an idea or drawing on a napkin and then progressed to finished projects, some even through detailed design work by engineers and architects.

This past week was very busy with engagement opportunities with the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments. 

Alberta Health Services hosted a meeting with community members to seek input into the delivery of health care services. The meeting was attended by local individuals and representatives from Bonnyville, Wainwright, Vermilion and Kitscoty, to name just a few of the communities represented. Garth Roswell and Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange spoke to the audience. Many great ideas and issues were raised, especially regarding health care delivery in our border community. 

The weather outside provides us with both excitement and concern at this time of the year. Safety is at the top of the list for all of us as we experience the ever-changing seasons and conditions throughout the city. The recent warmer temperatures has the recent spring storm starting to melt as city crews and contractors work to remove the snow so repairing of the asphalt can begin. 

Agriculture means many different things to everyone. We recently celebrated National Agriculture Day across Canada. Everyone has a different level of exposure to agriculture and the meaning of what agriculture is, and our experiences will differ between us.

I am often asked how and why you keep doing what you do. Attending meetings, public events and opportunities for our city is constant, and I want to share some of my incredible support in today’s article. 

We all could use a little kindness in our lives. 

We often experience kindness in one form or another as people say hello, smile, hold a door open, or move out of the way to yield the right of way. There are numerous ways to show kindness to our loved ones, friends, neighbours and our community. Kindness Wins encourages Lloydminster and area citizens to stand up for kindness, inclusion and respect and is in its 14th year.

Family Day is just around the corner and the City of Lloydminster team is in full gear as we prepare to enjoy Winterfest 2024, presented by L&A CPA LLP, on Monday, February 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The word growth has a lot of meanings for us in Lloydminster. I plan to tackle a few of the meanings and explain why they are so important to us on many fronts.