Council Meeting Highlights - April 24, 2012

Council approved a variety of reports from departments. Information on allof the background reports and minutes.

Webcast

To get the full flavour of how decisions are made tune into the webcast. The webcast is timed and titled so that you can refer immediately to the specific agenda items.

Aquatic Strategy Rounds Out Community Recreational Opportunities

In earlier meetings, Council amended the Capital Budget to include revitalization of various sports field  diamonds for $675,000. In the April 10, 2012 meeting Council accepted the administrations report that outlined the multi use nature of the Emerald Hills Regional Park site which has been designed to accommodate two minor baseball diamonds (seasonal use May and June), one full size soccer pitch (seasonal use May and June), a two million dollar artificial turf field (seasonal use May and June for soccer, plus August to November for football).

Now Council has approved the Open Space and Recreation Facility Strategy Aquatic Strategy as a guiding document for future development of aquatic infrastructure. 

In 2013, residents can expect to see a six lane, 25 meter fully accessible pool for lessons, recreation, laps and swim club use; with an additional warm water pool that facilitates therapy and lessons. Glen Allan, one of the proposed locations in last year’s public open houses for the 25 meter pool is now being looked at in the future for right sizing wellness enhancements. Kinsmen Leisure Centre is in line for a new community spray park in 2014 with vastly improved accessibility standards and a family change room.

This is not enough for many residents. They ask: Why not a 50 meter pool? Why not a roof over the turf field? Why not use the provincial government grants for these extras? These are great ideas – but we need to look at the overall basket of services that our residents require. We are eligible for and expect to receive 19.4 million dollars from the provincial government this year in municipal sustainable infrastructure funding. All but four million is already dedicated to the Open Space and Recreation Facility Strategy for indoor projects. As a fiscally responsible group of planners, Council has to balance recreational needs with road, water, sewer and emergency services. 

Train Whistle Cessation Policy
Your Council got into an animated discussion on train whistles as they impact the quality of life on many urban and rural residents that live within a 10 km band of a major CN freight route. Recent years and success of our industrial Heartland have resulted in significant increases in train and vehicular traffic. Trains get longer; whistles get louder and more frequent. Other municipalities are attempting to mitigate this issue with Train Whistle Cessation Policies – which involve enhancing safety features at crossings.

Administration brought back a recommendation that involved a whistle cessation policy where residents would pay for safety improvements through a local improvement tax. I believe that would result in the equivalent of a Boston Tea Party – with neighbours arguing with neighbours over whose sleep is or is not impacted and who is going to pay. Given that several other municipalities report that they have found other effective ways to resolve this issue, I and Councillor Riddell asked that this be brought back at a later time with a more palatable solution. Hopefully, it will be at a time when the vacant rural Councillor seat is filled so that those residents impacted will have a voice.

Internet Pilot Project
Council authorized administration to participate in a tri-party inter-municipal Internet voting pilot in 2013. I am very much in favour of finding new ways to encourage more residents to vote and make it easier to vote. However I believe this project is bleeding (not leading) edge.

Both Edmonton and St Albert are engaging proactively with the use of social media. Both municipalities are successfully using open data to provide residents and business with programs such as active route transit. 

I would like us to solidify our processes and utilization in these areas prior to jumping into the deep waters of internet voting. I would prefer to see a more strategic approach that would see us put our resources into catching us up in areas that would provide a direct benefit to residents and businesses; letting the other two municipalities work together on this specific project. Hopefully an available grant will cover our minimum cost of 65,000 for this venture.

E News Bulletin

I send out an E News Bulletin four times a month to residents. It is an opportunity for me to inform you of events and matters of interest to your family and neighbours in a timely manner. These electronic news flashes also help me to get your input and touch base with you. You are welcome to sign up at roxanne.carr@strathcona.ca