Image: Fred Talen / Village of Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Fred Talen.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Harrison mayor speaks up

Harrison Hot Springs mayor touts change in culture, projects delivered since he took over a year ago

Oct 7, 2025 | 1:21 PM

HARRISON HOT SPRINGS — Given some of the rancorous meetings in the past, Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Fred Talen thought chairing council meetings would be an arduous task when he was sworn in roughly a year ago as the village’s mayor.

Instead, as he pointed out in a lengthy social media post Tuesday morning, Mayor Talen says there’s been a pleasant overall tone and tenor at council meetings the past 12 months.

“To begin, being Mayor has been one of the most interesting and rewarding experiences in my life. I thought that chairing Council meetings might be difficult. Instead, with guidance from staff on procedures, and with each Councilor governing themselves in a thoughtful and respectful manner, chairing meetings has become something I look forward to,” Mayor Talen said. “In fact, I don’t recall a single Point of Order or a challenge to the Chair being raised in the last year. I also know that each Councilor has fully participated in the work of Council guided by the principle of acting in the best interests of the Village.”

Talen says he and fellow councillors don’t agree with each other on every matter, but those differences are respected and have not devolved into anything personal. Discussion and debates on agenda items remain focused on the issues before council members.

He also complimented village staff by saying he’s impressed with how “competent and thoughtful” they are.

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“I have enjoyed seeing them work to make our Village a better place to live and work,” Talen said. “A small number of Village staff do so much.”

In the meantime, he said, work quietly happens absent of any fanfare on important initiatives that matter to residents of Harrison Hot Springs, including:

• Safe drinking water is delivered throughout the Village,
• Waste water is treated,
• Public washrooms are well maintained, and
• The beach and public spaces are cleaned and present the Village in the best light.

Talen points out that village staff support four active committees and one commission consisting of the Accessibility Committee, Advisory Planning Committee, Age-Friendly Committee, Communities in Bloom Committee and the Environmental Advisory Committee.

“These committees provide valuable contributions to the Village and I thank those that volunteer their time, knowledge, and experience on these committees and commission,” Talen said.

Talen says village staff have been working hard to deliver on council objectives and goals. He says in the past year:

• The accessible beach playground was opened
• New boat launch buildings were completed
• Upgrades to Spring Park were completed
• The Primary Care Health Facility in the Village was opened

“In short, stuff is getting done. Council is delivering on the Village’s priorities,” Talen said.

In the coming year, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs hopes to accomplish the following:

• The upgrades to Hot Springs Road and Lillooet Avenue and associated upgrades to the Villages storm water system and additional parking
• With the Village’s Resource Development Strategy being approved, work on:
o Street scaping enhancements on Lillooet Ave west of the intersection
o Installation of a dedicated canoe, kayak, SUP dock
o Design and install a splash or spray park to complement the playground on the beach
• A final design on the dike project being presented to the Village

Two capital projects will also need to be addressed, if funding appropriations materialize through the provincial government, including what he calls a “subsidized independent” seniors housing project, and funding for a new school in Harrison Hot Springs. He says the village will work with Fraser Cascade School District to explore opportunities to maximize the benefits to the village that a new school might bring.

:”I am grateful for this opportunity to Chair this Council and contribute to this place that my wife and I love so much. I am ever mindful of the trust given to me by residents of Harrison Hot Springs to discharge this responsibility,” Talen concluded in his message to constituents.