Crossfield aims to double its population

A small town north of Calgary has a big dream:to double its population.

The town of Crossfield has 3,000 residents and is preparing to welcome more with the development of a new neighbourhood called Vista Crossing.

The first phase of a new development eventually meant to hold 1,000 homeswas unveiled to the public Saturday.

Deputy Mayor JamesGintersaysCrossfieldcouncil has been busy planning for a population boom.

"We've fixed up the community hall. We're expanding the fire hall right now and refurbishing the fire hall," he said.

Crossfieldis located just off Highway 2, about 50 kilometres north of Calgary.

The newAirdrie?

One developer compared it toAirdrie, a city on the same highway, but closer to Calgary, that doubled its population in 10years and is now home to 60,000 people.

"There hasn't been a lot of development inCrossfieldin a large comprehensive way," said Trevor Dickie, the vice-president of Dream Development, one of the builders in the newneighbourhood.

"Now with the new sort of employment centres you're seeing in the north end of Calgary,CrossIronMills, and all the development in the north end of town, there's a lot of emphasis and focus on the area surrounding Calgary. In some waysCrossfieldis a bit of a suburb toAirdrienow."

Dickie says the first 150 houses will be built over the next couple of years.

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