Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn reflects on what he says was a very successful year for the community in 2024. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

2024 a milestone year for Coaldale, says mayor

Dec 23, 2024 | 6:00 AM

COALDALE, AB – From grand openings to major events and plans for the future, the mayor of Coaldale says it has been an incredibly successful year for the community.

Mayor Jack Van Rijn says the town has a long list of achievements for 2024 and that things are looking up heading into the future.

“Coaldale has made a name for itself in the province and we are noticed and we hear comments from all over the province of Alberta and all of western Canada, to be honest,” says Van Rijn. “We’ve also had some interest from companies out east that heard that Coaldale was the place to be.”

On the business side of things, Van Rijn says the start of construction on the NewCold storage facility was significant. It’s valued at $222 million and is the largest single investment in Coaldale’s history.

Work is also underway on expanding the town’s industrial park to allow for more businesses to easily settle in.

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READ MORE: Multimillion-dollar cold storage facility coming to Coaldale

Lots went on sale for the first phase of the Malloy Landing Subdivision. Once all of the phases have been completed, Van Rijn says it will be able to accommodate as many as 1,500 residents.

A personal highlight for the mayor was seeing the grand openings of the Shift Community Rec Centre and the Prairie Winds Secondary School. These, along with the Malloy Landing Subdivision, will aid in Coaldale’s continued growth and enhance the vibrancy of the community.

To coincide with the opening of the Rec Centre, Coaldale hosted the 2024 Southern Alberta Summer Games. The four-day event in July saw 1,783 participants compete in 20 different sports.

Recreation continued to be a focus for the community as phase one of the MPE Link Pathway was completed this summer. Once it is fully finished, the walking and biking trail will connect Coaldale and Lethbridge.

The Town of Coaldale also opened Civic Plaza in late November, an outdoor gathering space connected to the Civic Square town hall.

READ MORE: Shift Community Rec Centre opening marks kickoff to Southern Alberta Summer Games in Coaldale

READ MORE: Coaldale Prairie Winds Secondary School holds grand opening

READ MORE: Southern Alberta Summer Games in Coaldale heralded as a success

READ MORE: Phase one of MPE LINK Pathway complete

To help accommodate for all of the growth Coaldale has been experiencing, crews got to work this summer on building a new potable water reservoir and pump station. It is expected to meet the town’s needs for the next 25 years and should be finished by the end of 2025.

“I’m extremely proud of our council and our admin team to get us to where we are in 2024. For our council, this is year three of our four-year term. Right from the time that we started, it’s just been a whirlwind of activity,” says Van Rijn.

Heading into 2025, Van Rijn says work will continue on advancing new developments in the community. He also plans to put a greater focus on housing.

The next municipal election is set to take place in October 2025. Van Rijn says it is too early to announce whether or not he will be running for re-election.

READ MORE: Construction underway on Coaldale’s water reservoir & pump station

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