By Curtis Galbraith

December 14 Meeting

Highlights from Monday’s city council meeting

Dec 15, 2020 | 5:55 AM

Highlights from Grande Prairie City Council’s last meeting of 2020:

Smith Subdivision Recreation Centre

Council has approved zoning changes that would allow a new recreational facility to be built on three acres of land in the Smith subdivision. It would go up on the south portion of a vacant lot along Park Road.

This facility would also serve as an emergency response centre. The money would come from the province’s ICIF COVID-19 Resilience Stream, which will cover 80 per cent of the cost.

Concerns that came up included where workers would park when the construction is being done and congestion in a nearby back lane. Administration said it could work with the contractor to make sure resident’s concerns were addressed.

Supportive Housing in Gateway

Council approved zoning changes that would allow a permanent supportive housing complex in the Gateway area.

The rezoned land is located near 110 Street at 107 Avenue, around Margaret Edgson Manor. This facility would house individuals with mental, physical, and/or addictions issues and there would be staff on site 24 hours a day.

One nearby resident asked council if this would be like Rotary House and if the residents had drug issues. Mayor Given told him that they would have addiction problems but would be more long-term residents, not short-term ones like those individuals at Rotary House.

City officials also say Council is the final development authority, so there would be chances for more input at a public hearing held when the development permit comes forward for discussion.

The city is also still looking at a site for a facility like this on 105 Avenue in the Avondale area.

Petition to Repeal Bylaw C-1426

A petition calling for the repeal of the city’s mandatory mask bylaw has been deemed insufficient under the rules contained in the province’s Municipal Government Act.

Administration told Council that the petition had a total of 2405 signatures, but only 1262 were deemed to have met the petition requirements contained in the act.

More than 500 of those signatures were rejected because the signers were not residents of Grande Prairie. Signatures can also be rejected if the signer is underage. The Act says 10 per cent of the population must sign a petition for it to be deemed sufficient. That would work out to 6,908 people in Grande Prairie.

The province also has a mandatory mask bylaw in place across Alberta.

Emergency Funding for the Grande Prairie Curling Centre

Council has approved $100,000 in emergency funding for the Grande Prairie Curling Centre. The pandemic and resulting provincial restrictions mean the Centre has only been able to be open for one week this season, leaving it short on revenues and funding.

Willow Place Loan for CMHA

Council approved a request from the Canadian Mental Health Association to pay off the loan for Willow Place early. The amount is just over $100,000 ($100,471.20) plus a $5,500 penalty. The city would forgive loan payments if the CMHA comes up with a plan for more affordable housing.

The organization is looking to leverage Willow Place to build another 32-unit complex in the area.

Brochu Industrial Park

Council has approved changes to the Brochu Park Servicing Bylaw that will allow landowners there to subdivide their property for less money.

This means subdivision can go ahead once the water supply is brought up to city standards to ensure adequate fire protection, not both water and sewer.

There are already on-site sewage services and bringing it up to city standards would have required putting in an expensive new pipe.

Parkland Bylaw

Council approved some changes to its Use of Parkland Bylaw.

The most important change would see things like graffiti, considered criminal offences under the old bylaw, now also considered bylaw offences.

This would allow the issuing of tickets right away, rather than taking complaints through a longer, more expensive criminal process. Offenders would get a fine now rather than possibly getting a criminal record later.