Wedgewood residents go back to County Council to ask for help

A big crowd of Wedgewood residents packed County of Grande Prairie Council chambers Monday to again ask for help in getting collapsing banks along Bear Creek fixed.
 
Spokesman Carmen Haakstad says the neighbourhood has what he terms “a disaster on its hands.”
 
“The slumping in Wedgewood is affecting more than just the three homes that are directly affected and if it doesn’t get fixed, we’re going to have a major catastrophe on our hands. Homes are going to be compromised. They already are, but they could actually fall into the creek if they do not shore up the bottom of the hill.”
 
He adds there are questions over who is responsible for any repairs that need to be made.
 
“There’s even been talk on the County website that they can’t fix private homeowners land. Well, the fix has to actually be on the County or the owner behind our land. The province also has the jurisdiction over the waterway.”
 
Haakstad thinks Council has listened
 
“They did say some positive things in there that they’re working with government and so on and they want a positive result. Time is of the essence and they need to move on it.”

Haakstad says a professional engineering study has been done and found that the problem can be fixed. 

This is the second time Wedgewood residents have asked the County for help. The County voted to take no action at its December 18 meeting. It also issued a statement in August of 2017, saying that while they are sympathetic with the affected landowners, it would not be fair to ask all County taxpayers to pay for fixing the bank.
 
More information on the County’s position can be found on its website.