Siding with Heritage Centre repairs
A report was presented on the mission to repair the town’s Heritage Centre building. Its siding and windows are in a dilapidated state. “It’s fairly critical that we address this sometime soon,” said economic development officer Dolores Funk. One quote on the job has been obtained so far: $120,000. All present balked at this amount. Funk felt that other quotes could be gotten, some of this quote was based on some worst case scenarios, and a new federal fund has fortuitously emerged for green construction projects that would logically qualify, factoring the energy upgrades these repairs would represent. Pursuing this grant and other quotes were council’s wishes before any final tendering.
Chip away at rink renos
Repairs are needed for the curling and hockey complex. Lighting and public address sound were chief among them. Also, new accessibility ramps were needed, security camera upgrades were advised, and installing a main floor bathroom for the curling rink was requested by the public. Staff reported that a phased approach could be taken to spread out the considerable costs, based on a priority list and potentially any grant money that might be obtained.
To play or not to play
The town’s main playground is showing its age and components are in need of repairs and/or replacement. Staff reported that grant applications have been unsuccessful so far. Councillor Charlie Rensby said that “this playground gets a lot of use, so we can’t either afford for people to get hurt on it or to not have it.” Council urged staff diligence in finding possible supportive funding during the winter, but agreed it had to be addressed with spring construction season not that far away.
Societies get equal love
The Non-Profit Recovery Grant Program, intended to shepherd volunteer-based societies through COVID-19’s economic hardships, had reached the end of its life with $9,200 remaining. The leftover money could be used for a number of things. After staff and councillors dialogued the options it was decided that, in the interest of fairness and respectful of its intended destination, that the money be divided evenly among the town’s nine not-for-profit organizations. Included in that list were the Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Canadian Legion, which aren’t not-for-profit organizations in the pure legal sense, but nonetheless operate in many ways like a society. There was some discussion about their place in this dispensation of funds. In the end it was agreed that they should get the same share as the others, so about $1,000 each.
Gov gridlock over intersection
Intersection improvements at the junction of Highway 35’s downtown leg, Highway 16 and Centre Street have come to a dead end. It is a conflation area for traffic accessing a busy node of businesses, passing through town, and turning onto backstreets. For some time, the Village of Burns Lake has been taking steps to change the traffic pattern at that spot, in aid of safety and cascading effects elsewhere in town. Mayor Henry Wiebe reported that “first we were told by MOTI (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) that we could make the changes we want at that intersection, and now we’re being told we can’t.”
Discussion ensued over the options and history of that location.
“I think the whole traffic pattern through town is improved if that is a regular intersection, as opposed to what there is now,” Wiebe said. “I’m surprised we haven’t had an incident there yet, with all the congestion.”
He joked that he even asked MOTI officials how long he would be jailed for just going ahead and making the changes anyway. Council’s discussion revolved around agreeing that status quo could not continue, so if pressure was needed on the province, that should be explored. Staff was directed to craft a letter to MOTI on behalf of council confirming the desire for change.
In the interim, a suggestion was made to placing signs directing truck traffic to use the overpass leg of Highway 35 instead of the downtown branch. Consultation with affected businesses was also suggested.