In just a few days, Anmore residents will be taking part in their own activity to mark the beginning of fall.

Residents will be heading to the polls in a byelection Saturday to pick a new village councillor.

The candidates for the Sept. 22 vote are Arthur Crossman, Sagheer Jan and Ann-Marie Thiele.

The issue of growth in the small municipality appears to be the big topic among the candidates.

Jan told The NOW he decided to run for council to fight to preserve the village in its current state.

"I go there almost twice a month, and in winters once a month, I would like to see the same, [Anmore] not to be developed, not to be deforested," he said.

"I thought it would be the best thing if I become a member of the council to voice my concern and support the residents and council to keep Anmore as it is."

The Port Moody resident said he has spoken with residents who are also concerned about the growth of the village and share his view.

However, Jan did suggest he could favour some "sustainable development," but not at the pace seen in other parts of the Tri-Cities.

He said he could also support the construction of a village community centre, but only if residents were willing to help pay for it through taxes.

Thiele noted she's sat on various village committees over the years, and wants to be involved in guiding Anmore into the future.

"The change isn't going anywhere," she told The NOW.

"The question is how do we manage it, while still retaining the special unique atmosphere in Anmore."

Specifically, Thiele, who has lived in Anmore for 13 years, suggested there is a lot of development interest on the hillside of Anmore, which brings both environmental and safety challenges.

If elected, she said she wants any development in those areas to be managed in a cautious and careful way.

On the issue of a community centre, Thiele believes there is a strong desire among some residents to have a community centre built in the village.

She said she would love to see some type of gathering place for the community, but suggested the project would likely only be in the village's long-term plans.

Meanwhile, Crossman said he supports growth in the village rather than seeing the community sprawl out even further.

"They keep going up in the wilderness and the bears and the coyotes and cougars keep coming down," he said.

However, he said he's also concerned about the village's water quality and wants to look at the issue of building another water filtration system.

Crossman, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in a 2010 byelection, said he would also like any elected officials who step down before the end of their term to pay for the byelections.

The Coquitlam resident said he decided to run because he is familiar with the village and figured it would be a good community to serve.

Jan, who is a former CEO of a grainmarketing company, also touted his experience as a volunteer over the years throughout the Tri-Cities.

While Thiele, a mother of three and former school teacher and only candidate living in the village, said her service on village committees, like the environment committee, gives her a unique perspective on the challenges facing the community.

Voting will take place in Anmore on Saturday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the Anmore Village Hall.

A fall byelection was called after rookie councillor Tim Laidler resigned his seat in June.

In the 2011 civic election, Anmore's voter turnout numbers stood at 54.3 per cent - on par with the village's 2010 byelection and 2008 election.

This year's byelection is expected to cost $8,000 to $9,000.

jdeutsch@thenownews.com