Colonel David Wheeler's decision to support the City of Cold Lake's bid for the air weapons range's assessment should be applauded. The City has been struggling to find a way to increase its cash flow for several years.
It has been a long and snowy road to where Cold Lake is now, and the City and base's proposed solution merits serious attention.
It is unfortunate that Lac La Biche County, according to its mayor, would become unviable in such a situation. However, it is also unfortunate to have one of Canada's most important air bases worried about the host city's ability to provide basic services. With plans to upgrade the flight line, the ability of the City to keep up with the oil patch and military expansion will be all that much more important in the not-so-distant future.
But the province has yet to officially respond to Cold Lake's proposal, which is where the idea will either fly or die.
The MD of Bonnyville sent out a press release last week calling for a meeting of all municipalities in the northeast region, a good response to a complicated situation. If the province made changes to municipal boundaries, it could lead to the need for other boundary changes. Getting all parties to the table, including Wood Buffalo, is a good idea to make sure any changes, if they do occur, occur as smoothly as possible.
Wheeler's signature on the letter to the province adds a lot of weight to the debate. Wheeler is a greatly respected commander who clearly cares about the community. When the Northern Lights School Division pulled the plug on R.A. Reynolds School, Wheeler spearheaded the drive to keep a school on base because military members want and deserve that school.
In the same way, the request of the base commander and Cold Lake to add the assessment of the bombing range to the City is something both the City and base need.
Now it's up to the province to put to rest the alleged acrimony between Cold Lake and its neighbours by cutting it a slice of the oil revenues.
