Councillor Bill Chapman grew up in Three Hills, Alberta, where he met and later married his wife, Deb, in 1991. Through Deb’s employment with ATB Financial, they moved around the province. In 1995, they moved to Lethbridge and then to Coaldale, where they have lived ever since. They are still in the same house they bought when they moved into the community in 1997. Back then, the population of Coaldale was 6,104!
Bill enrolled at the University of Lethbridge, completing a BA in Political Science in 2001.
Bill and Deb each became very involved in Coaldale. They began serving on numerous committees and volunteering in the Town and in their church. “We are both passionate about service and what we can give back to Coaldale!”
Bill chaired Coaldale’s Alberta 2005 Celebrations Committee, through which the Tower Clock on Main Street was featured as the Town’s Centennial project. Around the same time, Bill also created the Town’s Mural Committee, which was successful in getting two key murals in place: one at the Oasis building and one at the Fire Hall.
Community clubs have provided further connection and social interaction. Bill has been a member of Toastmasters since 1996 and a member of the Coaldale Chamber of Commerce since 1997.
Bill’s wife, Deb, volunteered on a couple of boards, including Rehoboth Christian Ministries and the Coaldale Community Wellness Association. In 1997, Deb was appointed to the Coaldale Hospital Foundation and also to the Chamber of Commerce.
Bill has served on Coaldale Council since 2007, and in 2021, he received a 20 Year Distinguished Service Award from Alberta Municipalities for his years of municipal service with the Town of Three Hills and the Town of Coaldale.
In 2021, Bill and Deb retired from their careers and focused their attention on community service in Coaldale. Deb now volunteers her time with FCSS and its Income Tax Supports Program. She is also serving with the Coaldale chapter of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Transportation has always been Bill’s passion and career path. Bill is delighted to see the work of the Highway 3 Twinning Development Association being addressed by the Government of Alberta. In 2021, the Government of Alberta announced it would twin Highway 3 from Medicine Hat to the Crowsnest Pass. In the 2026 Budget, the government announced Stage 2, which will take place over three years.
Among the many boards and committees Bill is appointed to by Council, he serves on the Coaldale Handi Ride Association. In 2017, Bill took on the responsibility of rebuilding the Association’s board and driver team. Today, it has grown to more than ten board members and three drivers. In 2024, the board received grants to purchase a much-needed new 16-passenger bus with a ramp system and room for several wheelchairs. The board has also approved a new Bus Pass program and continues its work on branding and building a fully serviceable community bus service.
Bill has been honoured to see major projects and programs help grow the Town into a well-respected community, from Main Street revitalization and renovations at the Fire Hall to new buildings such as the SHIFT Community Recreation Centre and Prairie Winds Secondary School, as well as the build-out of the Industrial Park with the new centrepiece of NewCold and new residential subdivisions.
In 2023, Bill was honoured to be appointed by Town Council to Palliser School Division’s Naming Committee, where the committee created a new name for the brand-new school in Coaldale: Coaldale Prairie Winds Secondary School.
Bill continues to devote his full time to Town Council’s many responsibilities in the community. Along with the Mayor and Council, he devotes time each day to participating in and representing Council at many events, including seniors’ teas and dinners, Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaigns, McHappy Days, parades, Remembrance Day, Easter events, community concerts, fundraisers, and sports events.
Coaldale is growing. Bill is honoured to have the support of Coaldale residents and to serve with what he believes is the best Council in history. As well, the Town has an Administration with Coaldale’s best interests at heart.
The community is quickly approaching a population of 10,000. It is remarkable to see this phenomenal growth and enthusiasm. Coaldale has experienced a 35 per cent growth spurt over the past 28 years, which suggests the community must be doing many things right and responsibly.
In his spare time, Bill enjoys playing soccer, volunteering, boating, travelling, and driving his motorbike and Corvette. He is a big supporter of the Copperheads hockey team. Bill was honoured to play for Canada in the inaugural World Nations Cup of Walking Soccer, held in England in 2023. The team placed fourth overall in the world rankings, a great achievement for its first-ever appearance.