Village of Delia undergoes viability review
By Joan Janzen
The Village of Delia is located 45 km northeast of Drumheller. It’s a thriving community, and CAO Bill Wulff, Mayor David Sisley, Deputy Mayor Jim Adams and Councilor Jordan Elliott have been working hard to ensure the community continues to thrive.
In an effort to develop a plan leading to viability, the Village is currently undergoing a Viability Review to determine if Delia will remain a village or become a hamlet in the County of Starland.
A town hall meeting is scheduled for October 4th; it’s the second of three meetings which will be held before a vote takes place in the spring of 2024. “We’re going through the infrastructure study and having more discussion about the viability study and what’s going to happen,” Councilor Elliott explained.
“I think people are wanting to remain as a village, but there’s lots of factors that play into it,” Councilor Elliott said. “Our community is one of the strongest as far as volunteering is concerned, and we don’t want to lose that. There are a lot of services here.”
Services people utilize in Delia include two banks, a grocery store, a campground, UFA, restaurant, as well as a new school. Ryan Duckworth, Principal of Delia School, said they’re starting their third year in the new school building, with 150 students. Although Delia’s population remains around the 200 mark, students also come from the surrounding area where many farm families reside.
The new school was partly funded by a $1.5 million donation from the Delia School Enhancement Society, which made it possible to have a larger gym and library, as well as a multi-purpose room.
“One of the great things about our school is that it is a community hub where many community members hold key fobs to enter the school. This way, they can use the school after hours and on weekends to work out and use the gymnasium,” Principal Duckworth explained.
One of the challenges faced by villages is procuring a qualified CAO. Bill Wulff is currently Delia’s Acting CAO. “He’s staying on for the time being until we find the right qualified replacement,” Councilor Elliott said.
As the Viability Review continues, the pros and cons are considered. As a village, property taxes are based on assessments and the decision of the local council. As a hamlet, tax rates would be decided by Starland County and would likely increase.
Garbage pickup and recycling, compost and spring cleanup would no longer be provided as a hamlet, and Delia would no longer have a Council or Administration. Snow removal would be limited to bus routes and major roadways, and roads would not be paved. Instead, they would be repaired and gravelled as necessary.
“Once you become a hamlet, you can’t go back,” Councilor Elliott pointed out. “The best way to do it is to remain a village and try to fix the problem.”
But the decision is entirely in the hands of the residents of Delia when they cast their vote to decide whether to remain a village or revert to a hamlet. Their vote really does matter.