Innisfail Town Council signed on to a Parkland Foundation plan to conduct a feasibility study and business plan for the replacement or renovation of Autumn Glen Lodge.
The facility, located at 4045 50 Ave., was constructed in 1961 to provide lodging, food and recreation for area seniors. In 1973, a 300 sq. m. addition containing an additional 11 lodging rooms was added to the original 1,380 sq. m. facility. Another addition was added in 1984, adding 820 sq. m. and a lounge, mechanical roof, crafts room and 20 lodging rooms.
The foundation undertook two reports into the future of the lodge: a 2009 facility evaluation that examined the process and costs required with bringing the facility up to current guidelines, as well as the cost of adding an additional 27 single rooms and a service area; and a 2010 seniors housing needs assessment that identified the facility as “functionally obsolete” and recommended a 10-year capital program for the construction of a new lodge in three phases.
Neither report examined whether components of the current facility could be incorporated into a new facility.
The feasibility study would include: a review and report on existing studies and data; partner identification and planning; utilizing the current site for any new facility; the optimum size of the facility; the service levels required; conceptual design alternatives; capital and operating costs; financial “pro forma” analysis; an implementation plan; and an identification of potential funding sources.
The business plan would include a business concept description; a defined target market; a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis; a strategic action plan; relevant key Markey research; a projection of revenue and expenses; a human resources plan; and an operating and marketing plan.
Coun. Tracey Walker, a foundation board member, said the feasibility study was much needed and long overdue.
“Our lodge is bursting at capacity,” she said at the July 25 meeting. “The rooms are inadequate at best.”
Coun. Heather Taylor moved that council support the feasibility study by contributing $11,000 from the town’s contingency fund to the study’s total cost of $80,000 . Coun. Derek Baird seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Innisfail Mayor Jim Romane and Coun. Mark Kemball were not in attendance.
“Our Parkland board is extremely excited to be moving on with this feasibility study,” Walker said.
61 Ave. improvements to be tendered out
Innisfail Town Council agreed to tender out drainage upgrades and street improvements along 61 Ave. during its July 25 meeting.
The improvements will include the installation of storm sewers and the widening of the road to a 16-metre gravel standard road from 42 St. to 37 St.; and ditch and culvert improvements from 37 St. south to Extreme Energy, as well as upgrading the 12-metre roadway to gravel standard.
This year’s work would include the coring and disposal of waste material in both the base and sub-base zones; and the supply and installation of woven geo-textile, pit run and sub-base, and base gravel. The pavement, curbs and gutter would be installed at a later date.
Coun. Derek Baird said the improvements were a “big” operation but were required.
“This is just the beginning of making it a good road which is going to be a necessity, especially for that area,” he said.
Bob Schultz, director of operations, said the town had $900,000 to work with following the cancellation of another project.
“So this $769,000 will eat up most of that,” Coun. Brian Spiller said.
Innisfail CAO Helen Dietz asked that an additional $187,000 for the installation of storm sewers on the east side of 61 Ave. past 37 St. be included in the tender.
“If the storm continued, rather than doing ditch drainage after 37th on the east side, it would be better to put that storm in at this time,” she said. “The west side will still require a large culvert and ditch drainage.”
Councillors voted unanimously to instruct Tagish Engineering to advertise the project for public tender.
Road closures for car show approved
Innisfail’s downtown will be roaring from Sept. 10-11 after council approved a request from the Downtown Association to host a show and shine car show and 200’ shootout drag race.
The event will be run by Red Deer’s Thru the Windshield Magazine/Just Ride Productions (TTW/JRP) and will include a show and shine along 50 St. between 49 Ave. and 53 Ave. on Sept. 10, a street festival on 49 Ave. hosted by the Coffee Cottage, and the shootout race along 53 St. on Sept. 11. A section of 50 St. will be closed for the duration of the event. Barriers will be set up along both sides and down the middle of 53 St. for the shootout.
Debra Stoski spoke to council on behalf of the association and said every downtown business she has spoken to is on board. She said TTW/JRP has asked the town to come up with a “catchy” name for the event.
“This event is for the Town of Innisfail,” Stoski said. “It’s not for any specific business. It’s for the entire town. I didn’t get one ‘no.’ Everybody is really, really excited about it.”
Stoski said proceeds from a dance at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 104 on Sept. 10 would go to the Downtown Association Revitalization Project. TTW/JRP has also agreed to donate 10 per cent of proceeds from the event participants (drivers and show and shine participants) to the association.
“That money is going to come back to our infancy beautification committee,” she said.
Council unanimously approved the closures and agreed to provide barricades, detour signs, bleachers and garbage cans for the event.
Crosswalk at new library awarded
Innisfail Town Council voted unanimously to award the contract for the construction of a new pedestrian crosswalk adjacent to the town’s new library to a Calgary company.
Three companies bid for the contract: Calgary’s Highline Electrical Constructors Ltd. bid $40,965; Acheson’s TB Traffic Inc. bid $54,550; and Sherwood Park’s Can Traffic bid $76,240.
Coun. Jason Heistad questioned the cost, saying other crosswalks in town cost between $5,000 and $10,000.
Bob Schulz, director of operations, said the crosswalk across Lakeview Drive between the cemetery and library would be taller and more heavy duty than other ones in town, which could cost as little as $2,500 for a solar-powered set.
“It’s made to be very visible,” Schulz said, explaining the poles would be over six metres tall and extend halfway across the roadway.
Heistad said he didn’t believe the town needed to spend that amount of money.
“I don’t know if it needs to be that high … or that extent,” he said. “I don’t know if you need a big one like that. That’s my call.”
Schulz said the crosswalk was a standard specification from Alberta transportation.
“It’s for busy roads, and that’s a fairly busy road,” he said. “The amount of traffic on a road dictates what stuff you need to use.”
Council voted unanimously to award the contract to Highline Electrical Constructors Ltd. Innisfail CAO Helen Dietz said $60,000 had been set aside in the new library’s budget for the installation of a crosswalk.
