If a picture is worth a thousand words, the Town of Fort Macleod delivered a loud statement Friday to Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko.

   A photograph of residents on the steps of the Fort Macleod and District Community Hall showing support for the town's bid for the police college was sent to Edmonton.

   "With the open house we had one more opportunity to show that people in our community want the police college," Mayor Shawn Patience said.

   Town council held what has become its annual open house, loosely based on the annual financial statement, at the community hall.

   Expecting a crowd of more than 120 people to turn out, council decided to arrange a photo opportunity to support the town's bid for the police college.

   "In January and February people in the Town of Fort Macleod sent in over 700 letters supporting our bid," Patience said. "The community has truly been supportive of this project."

   The provincial government intends to build a $100-million college where 1,500 police and peace officer recruits will receive training each year.

   The college will also serve as a centre of excellence for law enforcement.

   Fort Macleod is one of 19 communities still in the running to become the home of the college, along with Grande Prairie, Rocky Mountain House, Provost, Mayerthorpe, Lethbridge, Fairview, Penhold, Red Deer County, High Level, Lac la Biche, Drumheller, Northern Lakes College, Athabasca, Camrose, St. Paul, Stettler, Three Hills and Westlock.

   "We're still here, waiting for the phone call," Town of Fort Macleod Economic development co-ordinator Gordon MacIvor said. "This is a neat, refreshing way of reminding them."

   MacIvor and Patience herded the crowd at the open house out the door onto the front steps.

   People were given signs to display that indicated Fort Macleod's eagerness to become home to the college.

   Photographer Harley Brown then scaled a ladder across the street from the community hall to give himself a bird's-eye view of the crowd.

   On Friday morning Brown had a print ready for MacIvor, who delivered the photograph to Cenaiko, Premier Ralph Klein and members of the site selection committee.