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Lamb laughter
Taylor Reidlinger is all smiles for her
ride during the mutton bustin' event at the Okotoks Indoor Pro Rodeo on Friday at
the Okotoks Recreation Centre. For complete rodeo results go to page 21.
photo by John Barlow
Venue changed for Foothills Community Centre public
forum
By Cindy Ballance
Editor
The public forum presented by the Foothills Community Centre will now be held
at the centre site.
Originally the forum on Sept. 9 was to be held at the Foothills Composite High School,
however, after determining the feasibility, organizers have changed the venue to
the community centre itself.
'I think it is a good idea to get people there to see what is going on,' said forum
organizer Ted Shacklady.
The forum will be held at 7 pm in the new seniors' centre of the community centre,
located just southeast of the Okotoks RCMP detachment.
Organizers are also asking residents to come early to get a tour of the facility.
Tours will start at 6 pm.
At 7 pm the forum will commence with Foothills Community Centre Foundation members
providing information to the public.
'The purpose is to provide information to everybody that comes. We know people are
seeking information and we are there to do just that,' said foundation member Davis
Edels.
'Hopefully, people will come away with a good understanding of what is going on and
want to see the project come to fruition,' he added.
Parking will be available at the site through the main entrance.
Everyone is welcome.
Advanced vote
Residents of Okotoks will get a chance to vote on the upcoming plebiscite a little
early.
An advanced vote has been scheduled for the plebiscite on whether the town should
proceed with a bylaw to borrow up to a maximum of $1.4 million to complete the Foothills
Community Centre.
The advanced vote is scheduled to accommodate those who will not be present during
the Sept. 20 plebiscite vote.
The advanced vote will be held from 10 am to 8 pm at the Town of Okotoks Council
Chambers located at 10 McRae Street on Tuesday, Sept. 14.
Those wishing to vote must be 18 years of age or older; a Canadian citizen; residing
in Alberta for six consecutive months immediately preceding voting day; and a resident
of the municipality of the Town of Okotoks.
The question on the ballot will read: 'Do you wish the Town of Okotoks to proceed
with the borrowing of up to $1.4 million under Bylaw 30-99 to complete the construction
of the community centre?'
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Rumors of foreclosure concerns RV residents
By John Barlow
Staff Reporter
Rumors the bank has foreclosed on the Valiant Country Place project are premature
according to Arnie Bartel.
Last week rumors swirled around the region that the Valiant project, which is more
than $4 million in debt, came crashing down.
However, Bartel, one of the principals in the project, said on Monday foreclosure
proceedings have not been instigated -- yet.
'The banks have been saying they will foreclose for more than a year,' said Bartel.
'We are hanging in by a spider thread. We need to get something going here.'
Amid rumors that foreclosure is eminent, residents in the Valiant RV Park have been
scrambling to protect their investment.
Approximately 150 of the 300 RV lots have been leased at a cost of between $20,000
and $40,000 per lot for a long-term lease.
However, should the banks, which hold $3.75 million in mortgages against Valiant,
foreclose those who leased lots would lose their investment. Three banks, CIBC, Royal
Bank and Laurentian Bank of Canada, as well as several mortgage companies and private
investors hold mortgages for Valiant Country Place.
There are also $802,000 in liens against Valiant Country Place including $686,000
from UFA, $15,443 from Burnco and $65,079 from deVries Brothers Sand and Gravel.
As a result, a campaign has been instigated by Valiant and the RV park residents
to condominiumize the RV park.
Through a bareland condominium, those who leased RV lots would be given title to
those lots.
'It would give them title and some security,' said Bartel.
The option of converting the RV park to bareland condominium would have to be approved
by the Foothills MD Council who discussed the issue on Thursday.
'This is driven by 140 people who are in a pretty tight spot,' said Councillor Flores
Groeneveld of the park residents. 'If this whole thing comes crashing down they have
no security whatsoever.'
Council was hesitant to proceed with the condominium idea as it had stated at the
public hearing in the spring that the Valiant project would not proceed any further
until the area structure plan was complete.
The area structure plan has been delayed while the developer awaits permits from
Alberta Environment and Alberta Infrastructure.
However, council asked staff to research the possibility of a bareland condominium
at the Valiant RV Park. The issue may be discussed further at council's next meeting
on Thursday.
Bartel said he has received temporary approval from Alberta Environment for the water
and sewer lines and is now waiting on Alberta Infrastructure. As Monday was a holiday,
no one at Alberta Environment could confirm the permit status of Valiant Country
Place.
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