Geneviève Lajoie, Mayoress of Casselman, is taking essential steps to enhance both community life and essential services. Federal funding was granted to build the Bird’s Eye View Park, while smaller initiatives like geocaches aim to attract visitors and engage residents. At the same time, critical infrastructures are being upgraded: the town acquired land to expand its sewage treatment system, and additional funding to do improvements to their pumping plant 1. 

Jade Laviolette - Local Journalism Initiative 

Bird’s Eye View Park and tourism initiatives

Casselman received $800 000 to develop a walking path and bird observation platform for the Bird’s Eye View Park. “Right now, we’re just bulldozing the path so we can have a flat walking surface” said Geneviève Lajoie. Work on the park is estimated to be finished by the end of 2025, with later phases adding more amenities, such as bird statues to pay homage to the indigenous. 

Lajoie confirmed the park was an incentive to attract more tourism to the town of Casselman. Smaller tourism projects, such as the addition of geocaches, also supported this goal. “There’s so many little things that you can do to just build connectedness in a community,” she explained. 

Infrastructure upgrades for growth

Alongside green space investments, Casselman is prioritizing infrastructure improvements to keep pace with growth. The municipality recently obtained land from The Nation around its sewage treatment system, an essential step to support new development: “We have that land, and we’re still hoping for us to do the discharging continuously throughout the year, and that way we won’t need to expand [any further],” explained Geneviève Lajoie.

The town has also received over $5.6 million to improve pumping plant 1, ensuring reliable water services and increased capacity for future demand. “It had reached its maximum capacity so we were at risk of spillages and disasters, so it was a required construction project to have to happen,” she added. Together, these projects will help Casselman manage residential growth while maintaining essential services for residents and businesses.