Bedeque and Area looks to amalgamate further

The communities of Bedeque and Central Bedeque amalgamated in 2014 to become Bedeque and Area.

Now it would like to expand its boundaries to take in Fernwood, Chelton, Lower and North Bedeque and also portions of Freetown, Kelvin Grove and Middleton.

"From what I understand, once we get to this point, then we can't be annexed by a bigger community outside us. It would have to go to IRAC for it to be established after that, so it pretty well makes us secure, or we hope it makes us secure," said Ron Rayner, Bedeque and Area community chairman.

So far, the response from neighbouring towns has been positive, he says.

"Absolutely fantastic. I have got calls since the papers[came] out and from people I thought would be negative and they have said, 'We are 100 per cent behind you, this should have been done before, we're glad you're going this route, and keep up the good work.'"

The group plans to hold a meeting in three weeks to determine whether there's enough support to take the proposal to the province.