Body found at Cataract Creek

Tim Daly of Black Diamond has been missing since Feb. 8

By Pamela Roth
Staff Reporter

A pair of hikers made a gruesome discovery finding a body in the Cataract Creek Campground area.
Turner Valley RCMP has not yet received the cause of death or a positive identification of the man from the medical examiner, although it appears the body is that of a man in his late 40s. The body was located in a heavily wooded area above the campsites.
“They were up in the back area looking around and discovered the body,” said Turner Valley RCMP Sgt. Tyler Bray, who is expecting to receive the results of the medical examiner’s report some time this week.
Black Diamond resident Tim Daly has been missing since Feb. 8. His 1989 Toyota pickup truck was found abandoned at the Cataract Creek day use parking lot on Feb.9.
Despite extensive efforts by Foothills Search and Rescue, provincial conservation officers, members of the RCMP and police dogs, there were no signs of the 45-year-old man.
Bray said the body could be that of Daly, but he would not confirm that fact until the autopsy is complete.
However, members of Daly’s family have been informed the body is likely Daly’s.

GOTCHA!

Lisa Stark tries to rescue her three-year-old daughter Jessica from Joshua Berndt’s water gun while they were visiting Lion’s Park in Okotoks on Sunday afternoon. photo by John Barlow

Okotoks - Outdoor rec facilities need major upgrades, says report

Report also states user fees too high in respect to quality of facilities

By Laurel Nadon
staff reporter

A report on outdoor recreation facilities in Okotoks suggested a major athletic park is needed and user fees are too high.
In 2005, the town asked Community Development Consultants to prepare an outdoor recreation facility master plan to identify facilities required for the build-out population of 25,000 to 30,000.
“For administration, it will be a tool for all of our future planning,” said Susan Laurin, community services manager for the town. “It’s a very useful document for both administration and residents.”
She said the plan will help ensure that the town has enough athletic fields to support its population.
The plan stated that the town should work with the MD of Foothills and the Town of High River to identify a 50 to 60 acre site perhaps in the Aldersyde area for development of a major athletic park. The site could also be considered for major indoor facility development in the future. In a survey, a multi-sport park was identified as one of the top three outdoor recreation facility development priorities. The report stated that current facilities in Okotoks restrict the town’s capacity to host tournaments for tennis, soccer, football and baseball.
“It’s something that a number of people have talked about,” Laurin said. “What would be in the athletic park is an unknown at this time.”
Dean Mayer, president of the Okotoks Minor Ball Association, said that any new development featuring ball diamonds would benefit the association, but he doesn’t see the athletic park moving forward.
“From what I can see, there’s not a good working relationship between the Towns of Okotoks, High River and MD for a regional facility,” Mayer said.
As for rates and fees, groups pointed out for the study that the quality of the town’s fields aren’t in line with the price being charged. A youth ball team is charged $24.92 per hour for a field maintained at a Class C level in Okotoks, while in Calgary they would only be charged $16.50 an hour for that same type of field. The report says that the target rate for user groups should be less than Calgary.
Mayer said he agrees with that recommendation. The association conducted its own fee study in February, looking at eight to 10 towns of similar size.
“It confirmed our beliefs. Okotoks has probably the most expensive facilities in the province,” Mayer said. “We pay considerably more than most other places.”
He suggested that the town should either bring facilities up to higher standards or reduce the rates.
Laurin noted that the appearance of a field depends on how it was constructed in the first place. She said that fields built to a lower standard, despite fertilizing and watering, won’t look as good as a field built at a high standard originally.
“No matter what maintenance we do, they’ll never look like McMahon Stadium,” Laurin said. “We need to work with our user groups and say, ‘This is what it costs to maintain those fields’.”
The report recommended that the town commit $2.2 million over the next five years to enhance existing outdoor facilities.
The report also suggested that fields could be considered for redevelopment at Kinsmen Park and Wylie Athletic Park near the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
“The fields that currently exist aren’t all owned and operated by the town, they’re owned by the school boards,” Laurin said, adding that the boards would need to be contacted to discuss redevelopment.
Mayer said he doesn’t feel that redevelopment at Wylie Athletic Park is feasible.
“If they further develop that park, traffic would be a consideration,” Mayer said. “That area is not designed for high volumes of traffic.”
The report also looked at what facilities will be needed for the build-out population. It suggested the town will need three more outdoor rinks, four more soccer fields, four more ball diamonds and three more football/rugby fields.
Four ball diamonds probably isn’t enough for Okotoks’ growing community, Mayer says.
“That doesn’t take into consideration the build-out outside of Okotoks,” Mayer said. “As the town reaches its cap, there will be more building outside of town. I would say, no, four diamonds isn’t going to be enough facilities as time goes on.”
The number of ball players has grown by three to five per cent each year for the last three years. Mayer said the number of fields required in the future will depend on registration numbers in the next five years.
Developing a pathway and trails plan that links facilities throughout the community is another recommendation. The report recommends that as new facilities are brought on stream, a key requirement of the design is to link the facility with the pedestrian system.
The master plan also includes an implementation plan with outlined costs. The plan was referred to both the River Valley Committee and the Culture Parks and Recreation Committee, and both endorsed the plan.
The plan, prepared for the May 8 council meeting, will be presented at the June 12 meeting for discussion and approval to give council a chance to review the document.