Municipal councils have a lot of tough decisions; that is for sure. You work long hours for little pay and people generally only notice when something doesn't go the way they would like it.
Having to decide budget items, involving taxation, infrastructure, recreation and so on involving thousands and even millions of taxpayer dollars isn't easy but that's the job.
Didsbury council is seeing a number of park projects coming down the pipes and having to make tough choices on what to support and how. At roughly the same time, three completely separate groups started up different park-type projects in town: skatepark, spray/splash park and a regular park in Valarosa.
The skatepark project is being spearheaded by four enthusiastic boys with the help of several parents and other adults. That group benefited from a commitment of land and $39,000 from the town for already completed community engagement and design process. The skatepark group will have to raise the remaining money (estimated at around $500,000) itself through fundraising and grants.
Unfortunately, the other two park groups were afforded no such funding from the town. Valarosa was given a commitment of land to build the park on. The group must raise the money to build the park itself but once completed the town will take over the park.
Of course, at around $130,000, the park at Valarosa comes in at a much lower price tag than the skatepark and, likely, the spray park.
Ben McPhee of the Valarosa Parks Association told the Gazette they are looking at raising a bit more money before applying for provincial grants. McPhee is hoping that they can begin work on the park in spring of 2019.
The spray park group was given a letter from council last month saying it needed a business plan including projected costs in place before any commitments of land or money would be considered by council. Thus far, the spray park project has not been given a letter of support from the town as the other two have.
I believe all of these projects have merit. It may be true that provincial grants have limited dollars, but I hate to see council essentially shut down a project by not supporting it. I'm sure those that provide the grants such as the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) one look closely at the grant applications and will choose the project they feel most deserving.
It would be a shame if council were to pick and choose who's worthy, particularly if the group applying falls under the criteria stated by the grant.
Fortunately, council has directed administration into looking at a policy to guide council and help groups out in requesting funding and other help from council.
In Carstairs, council received a request to allow a young girl to operate a lemonade stand at their parks. There were some concerns about other people doing it and competing with local businesses. In the end, the family was able to get approval from Alberta Health Services and got the business licence for the girl.
Council in Carstairs was also the first in Mountain View County to approve bylaws regarding the consumption of cannabis in town. Basically, the laws will be similar to those regulating alcohol, in that a person can't consume on the streets or any public areas. Of course, those bylaws won't go into place until the federal government actually passes the Cannabis Act, which legalizes cannabis if purchased from a government authorized seller.
– Lindsay is the reporter for the Mountain View Gazette
