"...the wall will look like a prison, and I don't like it"
Best quote of the day from the Foothills County Council Meeting - 04/13/2022

Stay tuned for the "Hill Party" The residents are planning on a warm day soon

Please watch the video to see some of the best quotes ever that will make you love the people of DeWinton. Those who have seen it remember the faces of the residents and smile when you read:
"..there is a really cool little weasel that lives just beside my house"
"...when the settlers came in by wagon to clean up to go to Fort Calgary"
"...we are nestled in the little valley that obscures the view of the city and that truly makes it a special place"
"...and so when this came in, I actually did actually want to take an open look, I didn't want to just sorta go -nope- it's bad. But my problem was every which way I looked at it I couldn't, see what's... a positive for anybody except for...those who are trying to get the money in the end."
"...a five meter fence or whatever he's proposing on that - is *makes face* eeh."
"..and I get it, I get what Mr.Mooney said that 'ya know, you got 2.4 million bucks then ya know, -you- buy it, and make a hobby farm out of it.' But, I already got one of those"

And there are so many more.

The case is closed for now, though all momentum on working with preservation and conservation societies and all conservation routes are still being pressed. This historical place has been in jeopardy for the first time ever, it may happen again.

Please know and remember: this was never an opposition against subdivision as a principle. We have so many bright and brilliant new families in the community a new generation is starting in De Winton!
Also we are excited to meet the new neighbors that move in to the mass available housing market in the area (I met many sellers and saw many signs while asking around town) and I met a lot of people while walking around too with more appropriate properties that said they wanted to subdivide, and that's great. This well water hill is our historic site, our skyline, our working pseudo wildlife reserve, our country lifestyle and tranquility. Its why we live here and an important cultural and heritage resource. Our tableau observational history park.
You can build in so many places without robbing people of their lifestyles, existing investments or harming people. I saw a few places like this while walking around and people showing me a bit of their situation and land that expressed they want to subdivide. Some with cool lookouts, without even taking neighbors views. I actually felt more confident after talking to so many of you that wanted to make some smaller homes available. Imagine buying a starter home out away from traffic, in between trees grass and field instead of other houses, giving a privacy and freedom of space. Great; if its done in a sustainable way that helps people- not hurts people. And harming a historical site harms everyone that has ever tried to preserve it, and harms everyone that is robbed at the chance of seeing "what" we worked to preserve for them.

I am so grateful, we all are so grateful tonight and there were many tears, hugs, and chilly walks around giving high-fives and venting tonight in the hamlet. We feel so close to one another and want to revitalize the community feeling here in DeWinton, that has ebbed for a few years according to longer term locals. We are so grateful for this experience, we know we can count on one another, we know we can trust one another. We know we will put ourselves reputations and public faces on the line to fight for each others families. There is a start of something beautiful and great happening in this little valley now, and please with us tonight: and the next while, breathe this sigh of relief of not being displaced from the home that you want to live forever in. Feel the warmth of hugging people in absolute joy: that were total strangers to you days ago. Feel this hope. And know as we grow together you can count on us to stand up for you for injustice, we can communicate organize trust one another and have some individuals with unrattling ethics down here in DeWinton. As rare on earth as that uncut hill.

We don't want to feel of this as "the battle of the hill" in our memories, it was very traumatic for a few of us. Grey hairs, all nighters, tears, lost time at work and with family, financial worries, professional doomsday warnings. We were fighting for our lives and families, but we need to see it as the well water hill that introduced us, got over anxieties of new neighbors or assumptions, got us out of our busy lives to drop everything, an event that made us brave together and showed we will tenaciously -care- about one another.

We have been talking in the hamlet to one another all night. There are discussions of a block watch, block party and general knitting these friendships closer and we all have met so many lovely people over this well water hill event. Already trying to make routes for thank you cards. We've been talking tonight about how we can offer more volunteer work to DeWinton now that we know and we are part of it, and we don't have to move. We love it here as long as that hill is preserved , apparently, it all came down to that. Celebrate the opportunity, even through a crisis: to have that dream of loving your neighbors and where you live.

Watch for the "Hill Party" postings

P.S. I'd like to ask if word could get around to the mysterious "we love DeWinton ☺️☺️☺️☺️" artist if we can commission a "we love our hill" or something like it, artwork too. ;) I think we all need that right now