Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Climbing association delegation among highlights from Monday’s city council meeting

Oct 22, 2024 | 6:00 AM

Besides the discussion about the sports dome, other highlights from Monday’s meeting of Grande Prairie City Council included the following:

Climbing Wall

A delegation that included two dozen people from the Grande Prairie Climbing Association came to council in support of a new climbing wall.

The delegation says they are busy with grant applications and other fund-raising to collect $1 million for the project.

Some of that is already in place, as the Grande Prairie Climbing Association was given $220,000 in legacy funding from the Alberta Winter Games.

The new climbing wall would go up in the Activity and Reception Centre. Grande Prairie has been without a climbing wall since the one that was located at Northwestern Polytechnic was shut down five years ago.

The delegation says people are going driving to Dawson Creek to use the one there.

Council approved having Mayor Jackie Clayton write a letter in support of the project.

New Apartment Buildings

Council approved zoning changes that would allow two apartment buildings, each up to eight storeys high, along 132 Avenue west of 102 Street and the Trader Ridge area. The land is currently vacant.

One of the proponents of the idea told council they would start with one building and see how that goes.

The main floor would be parking with the other seven storeys being living space.

There is no breakdown on units yet and drawings are still being done, but the proponent did say they look at maximizing the number of units allowed. City regulations has that number set at 108.

A motion to have city staff look into extending transit to the Trader Ridge area was also approved after the rezoning vote was completed.

Councillor Dylan Bressey made the motion and said he would not expect this is time for 2025 budget discussions, but it could come up at 2026 budget talks.

Organizational Meeting

Council held its organizational meeting. Councillors were assigned to various standing committees and a deputy mayor schedule was approved.

Council agreed to reduce the number of standing committees from five to four.

The Financial and Administrative Services, Public and Protective Services and Operational Services committees remain in place. There is also a new Investment and Strategy Committee. Previously, there were Invest GP and Strategy and Communications Services committees.

There had been an idea to allow up to five councillors plus the mayor to be members of each committee, but council voted to keep that at three councillors plus the mayor.

The next city council meeting will take place November 4.