Town councillors have agreed to provide a letter of support in principle for the skatepark being proposed for northwest Sundre.
Skateboard Project Committee member Bill Lough made a presentation to council last week, telling councillors the project will involve the construction of a 5,000 square foot skatepark west of the AquaPlex at an estimated cost of $150,000.
He said organizers hope that about a third of the cost will be raised through fundraising efforts, a third through donations in kind and the rest through grants.
The youth of Sundre will be closely involved in the project, including providing suggestions for the design of the park, he said.
ìWe regard this as a community project,î said Lough.
A public meeting held at the River Valley School library two weeks ago to introduce the project and discuss plans was well attended.
New Line Skate will unveil a three-dimensional design and model of the proposed park in the coming weeks, he said.
The committee asked for the letter of support in principle as part of the project.
In response, councillors (except for councillor Michael Baird, who did not attend last week's council meeting) passed the following motion: ìThe Town of Sundre moves to authorize administration to send a letter of support of the Sundre Skatepark Project Committee for the Sundre Skatepark concept.î
In a letter to council, Watson Neufeld said the skatepark committee has ìcompleted the background investigation and its necessary foundation (ie: bank account, letterhead, log, website, etc.) to go forward with a skatepark. The committee is dedicated to promoting local businesses and has established this concept with New Line Skate of Calgary.î
In a letter to council, the committee said the skatepark would ìenhance the quality of life in our community and continue to provide long term opportunities for our residents.î
Both councillors Patricia Toone and Chris Vardas called the project a ìgreat idea.î
Coun. Myron Thompson said from his conversations with residents he believes the project has widespread support.
ìI think it will be very successful,î he said.
Noise bylaw exception motion redone
Sundre town councillors have reaffirmed an earlier decision to allow for the town's noise bylaw to be relaxed during Red Deer River bridge rehabilitation construction this summer.
In January council passed a motion giving the construction project an exemption from the town's noise bylaw. However, the relaxation applied to a bylaw that is no longer valid in town, having been repealed some time ago.
Last week councillors passed a motion allowing the exemption under the new Bylaw 818.
The bridge work planned will include milling off a portion of the existing deck and pouring new concrete surface, as well as other minor work including repairs to the pedestrian sidewalk, removing drift caught on the piers, and minor erosion protection, council heard.
The work will get underway in mid August and will result in the traffic being reduced to single lane for the majority of the construction period.
ìRelaxing the noise bylaw so the contractor can work 24 hours a day will drastically shorten the construction period thereby reducing the disruption to traffic flow,î interim CAO Wanda Watson Neufeld said.
ìHowever, allowing 24-hour construction could affect the campground and nearby residents.î
The noise bylaw typically allows construction only during the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Centre Street connection tender awarded
Councillors passed a motion accepting the $267,587 tender from Foran Equipment for construction work to tie in water services from Centre Street to the new Red Deer River Crossing.
ìThis project is to tie in water and wastewater lines to the river crossing that serves East Sundre,î said Watson Neufeld.
