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Photo: County of Grande Prairie
Teepee Creek

Lower speed possible to accommodate new general store in Teepee Creek

Oct 23, 2019 | 12:01 PM

The County of Grande Prairie is looking to slow down traffic in Teepee Creek by further expanding the 60 km/h zone along Highway 674.

At Monday’s meeting, Council directed administration to send a request to Alberta Transportation to lower the speed along the stretch of highway west of Range Road 34 through the hamlet from 100 km/h to 60.

The reason for it is for both safety, and to accommodate a new business that may be coming to the area soon, says Reeve Leanne Beaupre.

“The reasoning behind it is really to allow those people that are turning off into the hamlet, especially into the school, the fire department that’s there, the Events Centre that’s located (there), and just recently, the County of Grande Prairie awarded a development permit to an organization that is looking at a farm business and general store,” said Beaupre. “So, this will accommodate people within the hamlet, people going into the hamlet, the safety of knowing that someone isn’t travelling behind them at 100 km/h.”

The general store would be operated by TP Country Products, a local farm and ranch supply company. Naquita Bloomquist, General Manager of TP Country Products, says the store will sell a little bit of everything, from feed to trailer rentals.

Bloomquist adds that they are currently awaiting approval for liquor and tobacco licenses, and that the response from the community will help determine what products they will carry in the future.

A speed limit of 60 km/h is already in place along the stretch of highway through the community, but the proposal would seek to expand the lower speed limit further west to the proposed site, which is located on the north side of the highway, just west of the Stampede grounds.

Beaupre says the decision from Alberta Transportation is expected before the end of the year.

“Typically, they are quite accommodating,” said Beaupre. “Mind you, at the moment, they’re quite busy with the budget and everything else coming out this week. So, we certainly hope we hear before the end of the year.”