Bag 9, Okotoks, Alberta T01 1T0
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Snowball!!
Oilfields runningback Cole Annable is upended
by a Springbank defender during the Drillers' 36-14 loss to the Phoenix on Saturday
in Black Diamond. With the victory, Springbank pulls into a first-place tie with
Oilfields atop the Rocky View Tier III Football League standings as each team boasts
a 3-1 record. For complete game results see page 19 of the printed edition
photo by John Barlow
Local municipalities support resolution to obtain
new infrastructure grant money
By Cindy Ballance
Editor
Local municipalities are hoping the provincial government will enhance the current system of funding for infrastructure.
The Town of High River started the ball rolling when they placed a resolution on the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) agenda which requests that the provincial government enhance the current funding levels for municipalities.
The resolution, which was also supported by the Town of Okotoks, comes on the heels of the provincial government's recent announcement of increased funding for Alberta's roads and highways.
Currently, smaller urban centres such as High River and Okotoks utilize funds from the Streets Improvement Program (SIP) which provides funds on a per capita basis for road works.
Recently the funding was increased to $30 per capita which equates to about $600,000 per year in grants from SIP.
However, recently the SIP program was changed by Alberta Infrastructure to give flexibility to larger centres such as Calgary and Edmonton. The program allows these centres to utilize five cents per litre of gas for road infrastructure.
According to municipal manager Will Pearce with the Town of Okotoks, the new program is not conditional, whereas under the current SIP program in smaller municipalities there is a matching grant requirement in which the municipality must match 25 per cent of the grant.
'That is fairly substantial dollars, said Pearce of the matching funds for a large resurfacing project.
Pearce explained that in an initial estimate of gas pumped into the community, if the Town of Okotoks was on the same program as the larger centres, the town would receive approximately $1.2 million.
Therefore, the municipalities with the support of AUMA have requested that the provincial government develop a system to track gasoline sales of each municipality so that the infrastructure program could be explored as a funding option.
The resolution also requests that the provincial government eliminate the matching funds requirement on infrastructure funding and that the funding be allowed to be used for underground infrastructure as well as for streets.
Currently, the SIP program only allows funding to be used for surface projects.
However, Pearce explained that when repairing the surface of a 20-year-old road, for example, it is most likely the town will need to replace or repair the 20-year-old pipes as well, as was the situation on Okotoks Drive recently.
'Essentially the $600,000 is restricted to surface work. . . and in our minds that is not wise management of public monies to repair the surface of the road and have to dig it up again (to repair the pipes),' said Pearce.
If the municipality was able to instate a funding program with five cents per litre of gasoline the benefits would be large for the Town of Okotoks, added Pearce.
He stressed that the five cents per litre is not an additional charge on gasoline prices. Pearce added that if residents knew five cents of their gasoline was going back into the community for road improvements it may encourage everyone to shop at home.
From High River's initiative to bring the issue forward, other municipalities have supported the resolution.
AUMA also strongly supported the resolution at their annual general meeting and will advocate this position to the provincial government.
Pearce said the resolution simply, 'creates a level playing field across the province.'
Residents petition for safe intersection
By Cindy Ballance
Editor
Cimarron residents say an intersection in their neighborhood is an accident waiting to happen and they want something done.
Brenda Allbee-Woodman, a resident of Cimarron, attended the Okotoks Council meeting on Sept. 27 to bring forward two petitions from more than 95 local residents requesting a four-way stop and/or pedestrian crossing lights at the intersection of Cimarron Drive and Cimarron Meadows Road.
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'Vehicles are not stopping for the kids,' she told council members.
Allbee-Woodman explained that as a driver heads south on Cimarron Meadows Road and approaches the intersection on to Cimarron Drive the visibility of oncoming traffic and pedestrians is impeded by trees and signs.
She explained the driver must creep out into the intersection to determine if it is safe to proceed.
'It is a major accident waiting to happen,' she said.
Allbee-Woodman added that oncoming traffic then has to swerve around traffic creeping out of Cimarron Meadows Road. 'You don't see each other until it is too late.'
The resident added that a four-way stop would help to slow traffic on Cimarron Drive and allow traffic on Cimarron Meadows Road to get safely onto Cimarron Drive.
In addition to vehicle traffic, Allbee-Woodman added that there is a pedestrian sign posted, but most vehicles don't see it until they are almost upon it.
'The existing pedestrian sign is not helping,' said the resident.
It was mentioned at the council meeting that approving both the four-way stop and the pedestrian crossing lights would be costly and council asked which safety measure the residents would prefer.
'At the very least I would like to see a four-way stop at that intersection. I think it would take care of both of those problems,' Allbee-Woodman said.
Infrastructure services manager Richard Quail added that normally the two safety measures are not constructed at the same intersection. 'It causes confusion for the motorist,' he said.
In addition to safety concerns, Allbee-Woodman also questioned why nothing has been done at the intersection since the subdivision was established.
'I don't understand why this was allowed in the first place,' she said.
Allbee-Woodman also stated that the intersection was a contravention of the Section 99 of the Highway Traffic Act.
Councillor Laurie Hodson was concerned about the contravention.
'I am genuinely concerned when a resident raises a contravention of an act and it isn't dealt with in a timely manner,' said Hodson.
Council accepted the petitions as information and will have administration report back to council at the Oct. 12 meeting.
'I am not going to rest until we get something more preventative there,' said Allbee-Woodman, who is planning to attend the next council meeting.
'I am going to guarantee the safety of my children -- this is just about preventative safety,' she added.
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