INNISFAIL – Mayor Jim Romane has served notice to council and administration he wants to see a quick decision on whether the town makes a big step forward this year to build the ambitious $650,000 skateboard park project.
At council’s special meeting on Jan. 29, Romane put a motion before council to have administration bring back a progress report on Feb. 26.
"It is a situation that if we want it to happen in 2018 we have to get off the pot here and make a decision,” said Romane, who considers the project a high priority for the town. "If it’s not council’s wishes to do it then let’s make that decision now.
"If we want it to happen we’ve got to move on here,” added Romane.
Last December, Romane introduced an amendment to the 2018 budget for a $450,000 cash infusion into the Skateboard Park Reserve Account but that was defeated as a majority of town councillors wanted to wait until discussions for the Strategic Planning Session were completed. The town’s draft Strategic Plan for the new council’s four-year mandate was presented to council on Jan. 29.
Romane, who previously said he would re-introduce his motion for a $450,000 cash infusion into the skatepark project, said he wants administration to provide him with an update on the town’s finances.
"We are still waiting to see unspent, unallocated funds as a result of an audit done from 2017. We know there is going to be some unallocated surpluses from 2017,” said Romane. "We are waiting to see that number. We should have that number in February.”
The mayor added that it’s imperative for council to give a commitment to the project because the town needs to apply for matching provincial government grant money to help ease the financial burden for taxpayers.
"We are going to access grants as much as we can,” said Romane. "Right now we can’t apply for grants until we get a commitment to do it.”
Romane also said that if council moves forward this year on the project the chosen location may have to be reviewed. When the site for the new skatepark, located at the intersection of 42nd Street and 51st Avenue, was publicly announced two years ago, there was opposition from the Innisfail Horseshoe Club as the new facility would be built immediately beside the horseshoe pits. Some club members felt there would be too much noise for players to concentrate on their game.
"I have that commitment mainly to the horseshoe people to listen to their argument. I haven’t, and neither has the rest of the new council, heard their argument and we want to hear their argument,” said Romane. "I think we have to make contact with the people that were opposed to it, and let’s get things rolling.”
However, Coun. Danny Rieberger, who served on the previous council that endorsed the chosen site, admitted there were communication problems with the public over the location for the new skatepark. Nevertheless, added Rieberger, the site chosen should remain.
"I think we put a lot of money and effort into designing it specifically for that site, especially if we want to move that project forward in a timely manner we should just stick with the site we’ve chosen,” said Rieberger.
Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, confirmed he will come back to council with a progress report on Feb. 26. He said that report will include a financial strategy on how the project can be funded and the level of risk it could potentially present based on other town priorities.
"We need to outline what that means,” said Becker, adding the site location is entirely up to council. "If they want to move forward and confirm this location is what is desired then we can move forward with the plan in place. If not then what is that direction?”
Mayor Jim Romane
"It is a situation that if we want it to happen in 2018 we have to get off the pot here and make a decision.If we want it to happen we've got to move on here."
