Sasquatch has found a new home in Sundre.
Mountain View County and Clearwater County have partnered on the Sasquatch program, which promotes safe as well as environmental stewardship and use of the West Country, Betty Ann Fountain, Sundre's development officer, told council during the July 30 meeting.
“Sasquatch is alive and well in Clearwater County and he wants to move to Sundre by way of signage up at our Visitor Information Centre,” she said, adding there is a discretionary development permit application fee for the sign of about $80.
“Mountain View County is requesting that council waive the fee as this is a community information sign.”
Coun. Cheri Funke moved the recommended action to waive the development fee for the “Sasquatch, Welcome to Our Backyard” sign to be installed at the information centre.
Coun. Todd Dalke said he was under the impression the program has been at risk for a few years due to provincial regulations for the West Country, and wondered what the situation was now.
“Having spent most of my life out west, the Sasquatch program is alive and well,” said Jim Hall, operations manager, adding companies such as EPCOR, TransCanada and Shell are all backing the initiative.
Spending plenty of time in the West Country, Hall said he has been approached by visitors from places such as Calgary who inquire whether they can set up camp in a certain area.
“I was on my quad and I said, ‘As long as the Sasquatch says it’s OK!’ and they said, ‘Yeah, we’ve been seeing that.’ So it’s a really great marketing tool and I’m really happy to hear that we’re going to get some signage in town,” Hall told council.
Funke expressed her support for the Sasquatch program, but expressed a concern about an abundance of signage potentially becoming cumbersome.
“They already have a permit to put two other signs up by the VIC, and there is some signage there already. I’m just worried that we’re going to clutter up that corner,” she said, adding she remains in favour of her motion provided an effort is made to ensure the signage looks presentable.
Funke’s motion carried unopposed.
