Earlier this spring, Black Diamond and Turner Valley residents were asked to participate in two amalgamation engagement activities:

1. Municipality Naming 
2. Electoral Representation 

 Below are the results. 

OVERVIEW: ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION ACTIVITY 

The Joint Friendship Agreement Committee (JFAC) requested input from the communities on what electoral representation system they would prefer for the 2022 election if the amalgamation is approved.

1. ‘At Large’ electoral voting system
2. ‘Ward’ system of voting

RESULTS

Over 175 residents weighed in on the voting system for the proposed municipality. This feedback was reviewed by the JFAC, and based on the community majority vote, the following approach was recommended: 

•  “At Large” electoral voting system 

Note: This system is what has always been used. A Mayor would be elected from the whole amalgamated community, and voters elect six Council members from all the candidates running in the entire amalgamated community.

OVERVIEW: MUNICIPALITY NAMING ACTIVITY 

The Joint Friendship Agreement Committee (JFAC) asked the communities to provide name ideas for the potential, newly amalgamated municipality and then to vote on the top three submitted names. 

Residents were asked to forward their ideas as written submissions and were encouraged to support their name with a drawing, story, photo, or any medium that communicated and highlighted any personal, historic, or cultural significance. 

RESULTS

We received over 150 entries with over 200 suggestions, generating 70 unique name ideas for the proposed amalgamated Town. 

The three most frequent submissions (in no particular order) were:

• Town of Sheep River
• Town of Black Valley
• Town of Diamond Valley

FINAL NAME

After a community survey on the top names and after JFAC review, from 1,100 votes, the clear majority and recommended name for the Town municipality was:

Town of Diamond Valley

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THANK YOU

Participation and engagement have been an important part of the recommendations for the Naming and Electoral Representation Activities, and we thank the communities for the mindful feedback.

NEXT STEPS

Detailed results from the Electoral Representation and Naming Activities will be published in a What We Heard Report after the next public meeting in late July.