Town sees slow but steady growth

Times Reporter 

 

It’s been a busy year for the Town of Strathmore, and though many have to see it to believe it, there is some growth coming to the town. At the end of November the total amount brought in for building permits in 2013 was at $20,687,653. The majority of that came from duplexes and semi-detached homes. 

Commercial building permits brought in just over $800,000, and residential was $15,668,897.

“There’s been some commercial, not much industrial, but we are looking forward to 2014. Developers are starting to prepare land,” said Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Strathmore Dwight Stanford. 

“We’re quite optimistic that the coming year is going to be quite good.” 

Some of the numbers this year are down from the final numbers in 2012. Residential this year was up a little, but commercial dropped by almost $2.3 million, industrial by almost $1.2 million and institutional by almost $12 million.

“We don’t have much say over the institutional because that is mainly to do with the school boards.” said Stanford.

“It was good last year, this year was quite a bit slower but some of it is getting ready for the coming year.”

On the east side of town, water and sewer pipes are being put in and houses are soon to follow. Stanford also said there are new subdivisions being discussed and that development for the new commercial area east of the Ranch Market has begun. 

“A year from now I am optimistic that things will be much better,” said Stanford. 

New houses and new businesses also means more tax base, which benefits everyone in the community. The last census said there were 12,352 people in town; Stanford is sure that number will be above the 12,500 mark now. 

As a way to entice people to Strathmore, Town Administration and Council are currently working on creating a new brochure and have done advertising on Global TV to draw people in. Stanford said the town plans to focus even more on marketing into the coming year.