Hanna Council unanimously passed a land use bylaw amendment at their council meeting held on Tues. Feb. 12.
The bylaw, which pertains to the Cervus Equipment property at 302 Pioneer Trail S, allows Cervus to sell and service farm and heavy equipment as a discretionary use under the amendment.
Jeff Laurin, a senior planner with Palliser Regional Municipal Services was present at the public hearing in the council chambers but no opposition or concerns were raised by any public member.
RCMP Detachment 2018 Report
Cst. Salmi gave the presentation based on the Police Reporting Operating System (PROS) data, for the Hanna Detachment generated showing 1167 files in 2018, down from 1215 files in 2017.
This included the calls for service from the public as well as self-generated and proactive files.
August had the highest number of calls for 2018, with December having the lowest number.
Cst. Salmi noted that in cold weather traditionally, calls drop off.
In 2018, Monday was the busiest day of the week with Sunday being the quietest.
The hours between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. were the busiest, while the hours between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. were the quietest.
The highest number of vehicle thefts occurred in January when there were four, and there were several months that had zero vehicle thefts.
Throughout the year, there were 48 false alarms. Cst. Salmi affirmed that there was no extra workload related to the newly implemented Cannabis legislation.
Cst. Salmi also noted that the concerted effort from the Hanna Learning Centre was fruitful in bringing awareness about domestic violence to the Hanna area.
North east area structure plan
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kim Neill reported the owners of the property across from Fox Lake Trail, north of Hanna Building Supplies who have an application in for subdivide into four lots, are looking at making amendments to the 1970’s plan, including lot sizes, road networks, etc.
An original structure stands on one of the subdivided lots.
Palliser Regional Municipal Services advised of many changes in environmental and other regulations since the 1970’s when the original Area Structure Plan was created.
“There is a fair amount of work on engineering and roads,” said Neill. “These Area Structure Plan amendments will be a process and will again be brought back to council.”
Infrastructure projects Infrastructure has been authorized at $1.3 million for capital work in 2019.
It includes removing the subsoil and paving Stephens Crescent which is starting to deteriorate.
The subsoil is to be removed and new granular placed before it is paved.
Winkler Drive in front of the park is to be cored out and paved and Pioneer Trail from Hwy. 9 to the South Municipal Road will be milled and repaved as well.
Shacker Crescent, from the southeast corner to its connection with Winkler Drive is to be cored and paved.
James Crescent is not a priority, but frost boils at James and 7th Ave. W are a concern.
Estimates for all this work exceed $1.6-$1.7 million mark but all of the projects were identified as a high priority and must be completed in the short term.
Council has also allocated $100,000 to sidewalks. Shacker Crescent has sidewalk sections that are in need of replacement.
Neill reported that he met with the owners of the former Lodge property.
The owners believe there is an interest in a seniors’ development in the area and are working towards this.
Voids in healthy practices Gwen Snell, Director of Community Services, informed council that one of the voids in healthy practices identified in Hanna by her work with the Alberta Healthy Communities Initiative, is the absence of a healthy snack machine at Centennial Place.
Since Snell was unable to secure a healthy snack machine through the marketplace, the Town of Hanna has agreed to develop and operate this service.
Transportation to allow seniors to keep medical appointments is an initiative that needs encouragement and Snell hopes interested parties with ideas will come forward.
On Feb. 7, Snell attended a meeting of the Community Foundation of South East Alberta, in her search for possibilities for funding senior services. She would like to see a similar foundation formed in Hanna.
Twelve years ago, there had been a group in Hanna working to build such a foundation but Snell would like volunteers pull together to resurrect this group.
Alternative energy Council approved the motion for administration to submit an Expression of Interest application in the amount of $225,000 for Type 1 and Type 2 activities to the new Community Generation Capacity Building Program (CGCBP) for renewable and alternative energy.
Grants received
The province has approved the Community Center Project application valued at $421,616 under the MSI Capital Program.
Emmanuelle Sajous, Director General of Major Events Canadian Heritage, wrote that application for funding for Canada Day Events in the amount of $1,500 has been awarded under the Celebrate Canada Component.
Idling vehicles, poor air quality
Judith Isaac, a Hanna resident who recently moved from Abbotsford, B.C., told councillors she is concerned about the air quality in Hanna, specifically when cars are idled in the cold weather.
Isaac believes her health is challenged by vehicle exhaust and would like to see council address the issue.
Isaac herself uses a bicycle as her mode of transportation and encouraged the listeners to “Go back to nature. Safety is #1. Health goes with it.”
Eileen Morrill
ECA Review
