Positive and productive year for the Town of Magrath

Posted on January 8, 2026 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Town of Magrath Mayor Byrne Cook believes that 2025 was a ‘positive and productive year’ for the Town of Magrath.

“While we continued to face pressures common to many small municipalities, our community showed resilience, cooperation, and a strong commitment to looking after one another,” said Mayor Cook. “Council, administration, community organizations, and residents all played a role in moving Magrath forward.”

Mayor Cook said that highlights from the year included Magrath making steady progress on municipal priorities, including four new blocks of sidewalk, new baseball field fences, a west wastewater lift station, the growth of the community’s solar power array, strong community participation in local events and programs, and continued volunteer engagement. 

“Seeing residents support local initiatives and one another remains one of Magrath’s greatest strengths,” said Mayor Cook.

Another of Magrath’s greatest strengths, Mayor Cook stated, included goal setting and Magrath’s 2025 goals focused on responsible governance, maintaining and improving infrastructure, supporting community safety, and enhancing quality of life. These goals, Mayor Cook said, were achieved through sound budgeting, collaboration between Council and Administration, and partnerships with regional and provincial organizations.

In addition to achieving said goals, Mayor Cook noted, some of Magrath’s biggest accomplishments for 2025 included advancing key infrastructure and operational improvements, strengthening internal processes, and maintaining essential services despite financial and operational pressures. 

“We are proud of the continued commitment to accountability and service delivery,” Mayor Cook added.

Rising costs, capacity challenges, and the need to balance priorities, however, required careful decision-making, Mayor Cook noted, and some initiatives took longer than anticipated. 

“Magrath continues to evolve by adapting to changing needs while maintaining its strong sense of identity and community values,” said Mayor Cook. “Our community has also shown how quickly and well it can come together when a tragedy that strikes one of us affects all of us.  Our efforts in community safety, volunteerism, and local governance support the broader strength of Southern Alberta. Magrath contributes to Alberta by being a stable, well-governed community that values cooperation, responsible financial management, and regional collaboration.”

Mayor Cook emphasized that collaboration was an important part of the work Magrath engaged in 2025, as the Town worked constructively with Cardston County, neighbouring municipalities, and regional service boards to share resources, improve services, and help address common regional issues.

Magrath Town Council, Mayor Cook also said, made ongoing efforts to maintain open and transparent communication through regular meetings, public notices, and engagement opportunities.

“By working together and planning proactively, our community is better positioned to manage whatever comes in the future,” said Mayor Cook. 

Looking ahead to 2026, Mayor Cook said, Council’s goals include advancing infrastructure planning further, supporting construction for more residential lots in town, and maintaining financial sustainability.

“We are focused on steady, thoughtful progress,” said Mayor Cook.