Sundre town councillors have agreed to waive $386 development permit application fees for the $230,000 Sundre skatepark project.
“In the past six months, the Sundre and District Skatepark Society has raised over $118,000 in cash and/or services in kind,” CAO Ryan Leuzinger said in a note to council. “They are awaiting approval of the community facility enhancement program of $105,000. By waiving the development permit application fee it retains the $386 for the project.
“The Sundre skatepark project will become the responsibility of the Town of Sundre once construction is completed. The Town of Sundre does not pay application fees for their own projects; as this will become property of the Town of Sundre it is essentially our own project.”
The park will be constructed west of the AquaPlex on town-owned land.
In a letter to council, project manager Bill Lough said, in part: “In order to expedite construction in the spring of 2012, we would like to complete the base work and drainage for the skatepark this fall. This cost is minimal as it makes use of our donations of service in kind (track hoe, gravel, etc).”
Lough told councillors that the society has already spent $2,500 surveying the property, and that fundraisers are within $20,000 of reaching the overall fundraising goal.
He said organizers would like to break ground this fall to keep up the interest and enthusiasm for the project.
Councillors approves safety policy
Councillors OK'd an updated municipal safety policy designed to ensure that municipal duties are conducted in a safe manner.
“An injury and accident free workplace is our goal through continuous safety and loss control effort,” the policy states. “Employees at every level, including senior staff and contractors are responsible and accountable for the municipality's overall safety initiatives.
“Complete and active participation by everyone, every day, in every job is necessary for the safety excellence the town expects. The town supports coordination of safety among all workers on the job site.”
The policy also states that the town will ‘provide first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, workplace hazardous material information system, and transportation of dangerous goods training for public works employees, municipal enforcement and firefighters.
“All employees are responsible for following procedures, working safely, and wherever possible, improving safety measures.”
The policy would not take precedence over Occupational Health & Safety regulations.
Under the assignment of responsibility for safety section of the policy, the CAO duties includes “ensure unsafe conditions are corrected”, “ensure compliance with regulations”, and “promote health and safety awareness.”
The worker duties include “cooperate with the employer through involvement in all aspects of the health and safety program”, “correct unsafe conditions”, “report unsafe conditions”, “make safety suggestions”, and “promote health and safety awareness.”
