Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Highlights from city council’s Monday meeting

Jul 16, 2019 | 5:30 AM

Grande Prairie city council met Monday.

Council approved the new Long Term Economic Strategic Development Plan.

The 20-year plan for development in the Swan City focuses on three objectives: smart growth, maintaining diversity, and competing successfully for new investment.

The consultant who came up with the plan says while there is already a lot of diversity in the local economy, there is still room for new businesses in existing sectors.

DATS extension approved

Council has approved extending funding for the Disabled Transportation Society to September 1 from August 1.

City Administration says they are continuing to work with the DTS board on the future of disabled transportation services, but more time is needed for that work.

Last month, council had approved keeping funding as budgeted by the city if service levels were maintained where they were before cuts earlier this year.

Pickleball funding sent to budget talks

Council voted in favour of sending discussions about funding for a permanent home for pickleball to fall budget talks.

The tennis courts at Legion Field have been identified as a possible permanent home for the sport.

Those courts would need to be re-surfaced as the current surface is not suited to pickleball.

That would cost $100,000.

The local pickleball group has been given $20,000 in 2018 Alberta Summer Games legacy money, plus has been busy fund-raising.

Council voted against an idea to give them $55,000 from the Council Strategic Initiatives Fund.