Kevin Hanson – Division 1
Quick Bits
On the senior’s front, the official opening of Abrio Place in Airdrie has been delayed into January-February next year. Work continues to go well this construction season with respect to the Council- approved Local Improvement Tax (LIT) project to enable supply from the County’s Bragg Creek Utilities in the Hamlet to the Wintergreen Water Co-op. More news coming in the Spring as the project comes to completion.
Lest We Forget
I am very grateful to the organizers and veterans that I was invited to attend the Bragg Creek Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 11th. There I had the honour to lay a wreath at the base of the cenotaph on behalf of Rocky View County. The high winds on the day added to the ambience of the ceremony and were a gentle reminder that some discomfort is somehow fitting. Afterwards the Ladies Auxiliary hosted a light coffee luncheon in the Community Centre. There has been work underway to improve the cenotaph, and if you have not seen it recently, you should stop by for a moment of reflection.
Rocky View 2024 Budgeting
The budgeting process and engagement kicked off earlier this summer, and the first draft budget was published November 2nd. (Search “Draft 2024 Budget” to find the lead-in on the RVC website.) Our first special council meeting on the budget was November 15 th, and Special Meetings will continue into December. New this year is that we are moving towards a service-delivery-centric model from the old department-centric approach. It will take at least one more year for administration to complete the transition, as Council’s strategic project for improved service delivery finishes up. It is excellent work and sets us well above our peers in the province.
On the capital budget front, there is a recommended project under Rec/Parks & Community Services – Regional Pathway – Balsam Ave and West Bragg Creek Trail. It was informed by the 2018 Active Transportation Plan South County. On page 82 it references this project as “3a”. The project includes the south side Balsam Avenue issue and recommends upgrading the pathway for improved drainage, and it also includes a new north side section that correct a connectivity gap.
Calgary West Ring Road and Hwy 8
At the Rural Municipalities of Alberta fall convention in Edmonton, I managed a short chat with Darren Davidson, Alberta Transportation’s manager for Southern Alberta. As a Councillor, you normally accost Provincial politicians, not their administration, but the Minister was in short supply at the conference. I indicated to Darren that there was some confusion in the communication from the CWRR project to residents in East Springbank and Elbow Valley. I think he was listening, as Kurt Gibb, the CWRR project director reached out to Rocky View Administration with current information.
“The remaining Hwy 8 work across the Elbow River is still planned to be completed as per the original plans of the South West Ring Road, we are just completing the remaining design of the road twinning and bridge replacement.
The large pile of fill that you are seeing on the north side of the road is material that we have pre-staged for use in the embankment and sub-grade construction for the sections of road to be built up and twinned.”
Reading this carefully through the lens of any project’s iron triangle – scope, schedule and budget – these statements only cover the scope aspect. The good news is that our Administration indicated that further discussion with CWRR on the timeline and budget (and hopefully some allowances for Active Transportation designs) are scheduled for late November.
Contact: KRHanson@RockyView.ca or call 403.463.1166.
