Support coming from all corners

CHRIS BROWN MACLEOD GAZETTE WRITER

Now that the selection committee has narrowed the field to four communities for the site of the Alberta Peace and Police Officer College, Fort Macleod stands alone as the only contender in southern Alberta.    With that support has been pouring in over the past two weeks, not the least of which is from our big-city neighbours to the east.    "First of all congratulations to the Town of Fort Macleod for making the short list," Lethbridge Mayor Bob Tarleck said last week. "Just as Flames fans cheered for the Oilers after Calgary was eliminated this year, Lethbridge is now on side with the Town of Fort Macleod." Fort Macleod's long history with the North West Mounted Police is well-known in the city.    "Everyone in Lethbridge knows the cultured history of policing in the Town of Fort Macleod," he continued. "That history goes deeply to the core of the town and we know the people of Fort Macleod will do whatever they can to make sure that it will be a first-class facility there."    Fort Macleod Mayor Shawn Patience is happy to have Lethbridge and Mayor Tarleck throw their support behind Fort Macleod. "We think it's vital to the bid," he said. "It's always been supported heavily throughout the region from the Crowsnest Pass to Coutts and Picture Butte."    Patience said getting the support in the final stages will help show that it is a regional proposal that is supported by all of southern Alberta. Letters of support came from communities and groups large and small last week.    As of Friday the Town Office had a file of letters from Cardston, Taber, Pincher Creek, Granum and the MD of Willow Creek, among others. Lethbridge Community College and the Oldman River Regional Services Commission had also sent their support.    By Monday almost 20 groups or communities had sent their letters of support, with more to come.    The Town also had a list of people who would be showing their support in person during yesterday's rally. These included Tarleck, Lethbridge East MLA Bridget Pastoor, the mayors of Taber, Vauxhall and Cowley, as well as councillors from Pincher Creek and the MD of Willow Creek.    For his part, Tarleck believes the benefits of the $100-million project will be felt far beyond Fort Macleod.    "It will do a lot to raise the profile not only in the province but across the country and also internationally," he said.    Tarleck also said the college will provide the opportunity for further community involvement from the surrounding First Nations communities, and called that "a healthy opportunity."