Highlights from Monday’s meeting of Grande Prairie City Council

Staff also says in a report to council that it will work on what it calls “mitigating strategies” to lower the chances of the budget coming up short this year.

City Hall does have an accumulated surplus and is within debt limits set by the provincial government.

Maskwa Medical Centre

Council approved changes to the Land Use Bylaw to allow construction of the Maskwa Medical Centre near the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.

The new building that will go up south of the parkade will house things like a teaching clinic and a diagnostic clinic for complex medical cases.

Proponents hope to start construction this year.

A capital campaign to raise money for the building started on May 1.

Grande Prairie Pow Wow

Council approved a $22,000 gift in kind for the Grande Prairie Traditional Pow Wow.

This will cover the rental fee and other costs associated with using the Bonnetts Energy Centre to host the event.

A delegation made a presentation to council that included a request for $60,000 in sponsorship money.

The Pow Wow is set for June 21 to 23.

It will be free to attend, and everyone is welcome.

There will be entertainment on the rink side, an Indigenous market on the Bowes side, and food trucks outside.

International Street Performers Festival

Council approved giving the Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival $17,000 from Council’s Strategic Initiatives Fund.

A delegation from the festival told council this will be its 24th year and last year was the first time it had ever had a deficit.

The festival says it is still recovering from COVID shutdowns and that revenues and sponsorships had fallen in recent years while costs have gone up.

This year’s festival runs July 19 to 21 downtown.

There will also be what organizers call “teasers” in Beaverlodge, Wembley and Sexsmith in the days prior to the main festival.

City on 99th for sale

Council has approved putting the City on 99 building up for sale.

The former public library, located on the northwest corner of 99 Avenue and 99 Street had been home to city departments that included Enforcement Services before they recently moved to Cedar Point, the supportive living facility located in the former Stonebridge Hotel.

The sale listing will be up for a maximum of five months, but staff say if a late offer with conditions came in, this could be brought back to council.

Proclamations

Mayor Jackie Clayton read out a couple of proclamations.

One will designate June as Recreation & Parks Month in Grande Prairie. This is meant to recognize the benefits of having parks, leisure services and other recreational amenities.

The other proclaimed June 15 Lemonade Day. This day sees kids set up lemonade stands as a way to learn how to start, own and operate a business. It is expected there will be 20 stands set up around the city.

City council’s next meeting is set for June 17.

by Curtis Galbraith