Residents are Invited to Attend ‘Plan Ponoka’ Open House on March 1 

Citizens are invited to share their input and ideas on what they want the Town of Ponoka to look like in the future as the Town begins work on reimagining and updating its Municipal Development Plan (MDP). 

Ponoka residents can learn more about the project and offer their input and ideas by filling out an online survey and participating in an interactive map on the Town of Ponoka’s online engagement website at www.LetsTalkPonoka.ca. Just click the link under ‘Municipal Development Plan Public Engagement.’ Paper copies of the survey are also available at the Town Office on the second floor of the Ponoka Civic Centre (200, 5604 50 Street). 

‘Plan Ponoka’ Open House 

Citizens are also invited to attend the ‘Plan Ponoka’ Open House on Wednesday, March 1 from 1 to 7 p.m. on the third floor of the Ponoka Civic Centre (200, 5604 50 Street). During this event, residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the MDP, ask questions and chat with members of the project team. 

Municipal Development Plan – What is it? 

An MDP is a key policy document that describes a vision and desired aspirations for the future of a community. It shows how a community is expected to change over time and the shape the community will take. 

“An MDP is basically a community-driven roadmap that includes a vision, goals and strategies for how the Town will work through things like land use decisions, development management and future investment in infrastructure and programs,” said Martin Kvapil, Manager of Development Services at the Town of Ponoka. 

“The Town is looking for the help of all residents and business owners so that we can work together to create a new MDP that shapes a vision for what Ponoka should look like in the future,” he explained. Section 632 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) requires every municipality in Alberta to have an MDP. 

Ponoka’s current MDP was adopted in 2013. Since then, the Town of Ponoka has experienced significant changes including a population increase of 6.7 per cent since 2011 and several new planning initiatives, including a new Land Use Bylaw (2021), a Transportation Master Plan (2020), an Economic Development Strategy (2020), an Urban Framework Master Plan (2020), a Downtown Action Plan (2017) and a new Intermunicipal Development Plan (2021). 

Once public engagement on the creation of a new MDP is completed over the coming months, a draft MDP will be presented to the community later this year and the final plan will be presented to Ponoka Town Council at the end of December for review and consideration.