DAWSON CREEK – The new year has come with new growth for Dawson Creek.

 The signs of new commercial and residential development are evident throughout the city, with construction wrapping up, underway, or about to begin on many new projects. A new restaurant opened last week on Alaska Avenue and the adjacent gas station is nearing completion. A new hotel is under construction further down the highway, and another one proposed along Highway 2 near the Multiplex. A mini-mall on 8 Street was finished last year. Construction continues on an ambitious Aboriginal seniors housing complex on 17 Street, with an estimated cost of over $8 million.

 City council recently approved zoning amendments to allow for the construction of a restaurant on 8 Street and 114 Avenue, and three, 48-unit apartment buildings, and a commercial property, between 8 and 9 Streets at 100A Avenue. A 10,000 square foot truck shop proposed for Vic Turner Road was granted a development permit, in principle, pending the completion of a notification period. A public consultation process will also be undertaken for a proposed Official Community Plan and zoning amendment that would allow for the development of the “Discovery Business Park”  along Highway 2 and Pederson Road, featuring light industrial and commercial services.

 “It’s a sign that our economy is definitely stable,” said Mayor Mike Bernier, who in his capacity also acts as the economic development officer for the city. “It slowed down a little last year, and for some people it slowed down more than for others, but for the community itself, we’re leaps and bounds ahead of most places.”

 Last year was a record year for residential units constructed in the city, and one of the best years for construction starts overall, with nearly $40 million invested in total. Dawson Creek was named one of the top five places to invest by the Real Estate Investment Network last year. and Bernier said he expected the growth trend would continue in 2010, but he was a little surprised by the number of proposals coming so early in the year.
 “Everybody’s recognizing that they want to get their foot in the door here and be part of the positive future here in Dawson Creek.”

 The city has recently updated its Official Community Plan, with one of the purposes being to direct growth to where it fits in with the neighbourhood and to ensure a good mix of development. Another stated goal was to direct appropriate development to the downtown area. Bernier said that area is appropriate for small businesses and shops, and the hope is that when the new arts centre opens it will direct activity downtown.

 “It’s not something that happens overnight, but we definitely make sure that we do what we can to maintain and enhance our downtown core,” he said.
 Bernier said it will be a challenge for the municipality to stay ahead of the development in terms of building the necessary infrastructure, as city council has committed not to borrow money this year. He said it’s common for local governments to borrow to pay for those assets, and then recoup those costs over time through taxes and service charges. However, he said growth remains steady and infrastructure already exists within the municipal boundaries, and it appears unlikely in the short-term that Dawson Creek would experience the type of pressures experienced in boom-towns like Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray.

 He said where the challenge exists is accommodating those commercial and industrial developments on the boundaries of the city. Not only does that demand new infrastructure to be built, but also requires the permission of the Agricultural Land Commission to develop on agricultural land, a process that can be daunting for developers. Bernier said he has had conversations with the ALC about working through some of those issues when it comes to land where adjacent development has already taken place, but he said land use on the Agricultural Land Reserve is ultimately provincial jurisdiction.
 City council will also have to be aware of tax rates, as the Lower Mainland remains a competitive region for development, and closer to home, Fort St. John shared the distinction with Dawson Creek as being the fifth best place in the province to invest. Bernier said it’s a difficult balance to strike between keeping tax rates unchanged and providing services to a growing community. He said council has got the message from residents who would like to see them reign in spending, but he said they need to hear from the public about what services they are willing to pay for during the upcoming budget process. 

 • The Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre has been confirmed as the location for the public consultations on this year’s budget, on March 2 and April 13 at 7 p.m. The format this year will involve a presentation and question and answer period as opposed to the displays that were set up last year. The budget process begins on Feb. 8 and ends with the adoption of the financial plan and tax rate bylaw on May 12. The whole schedule is available online at www.dawsoncreek.ca or at City Hall.