Hanna town council discussed changes to the Animal Control Bylaw to include an Urban Hen section.
This item has been on the table since 2017.
A draft was before council at their regular meeting Wed. March 27, updating a previous 30-year-old document to include the Provincial Offences Procedures Act and the definition section to modernize verbiage and make it easier to read and understand.
One consideration taken into account was the approval process for applications of urban hens.
Hen licensing would require council feedback on things such as maximum numbers of hens a household could have, contacting neighbours to inform them of intent to keep hens and obtaining a premises identification under the Animal Health Act.
Other considerations were the size of the coop, a building requirement for humane keeping of the hens, and the requirement of keeping the hens in an enclosure to help mitigate cats and coyotes from becoming a problem.
Among other considerations, the bylaw would need to have an evacuation clause concerning urban hens.
It was suggested that council take time to look over the bylaw and discuss it further at a future council meeting followed by a public hearing giving people a chance to voice their opinions before council can officially approve the bylaw changes.
Janitorial contract
The Community Centre janitorial and caretaking services contract ended Dec. 31, 2023.
After reviewing the five proposals received the contract was awarded to Brent and Jill Olsen at a rate of $2,200 per month, beginning April 1, 2024 for a two year term ending March 31, 2026. This rate is the same as the previous year.
Water conservation plan
The Town of Hanna Parks Department provided to council at their regular March 27 meeting an internal watering process, information and water conservation report highlighting three options for water conservation was presented.
The first was to reduce the flowers planted by 40 per cent, and planting the majority of the plants in desert planters in specific areas such as the pool, arena, library, Memorial Park and east geese monument plot.
The second option would be to do Option 1, but include two additional plots, that of the library plot and the Cemetery plot.
The third option would be as described in Option 1 and 2 as well as an additional five barrels at Fox Lake plus the canoe.
During discussion it was agreed that flower plots are watered for the most part by hand and therefore do not take as much water.
It was also agreed that planting the plots attract beneficial pollinators that benefit all the town’s gardens, fruit trees and shrubs.
Mayor Danny Povaschuk noted that “plant watering is a very small portion of our parks and recreation water usage and that is less than 10 per cent”.
Trees will be watered to ensure their survival by using the significant number of tree watering bags purchased in the last several years.
The Hector King Hunter Park will also stay the same as the plants are specifically selected for their ability to control destructive insect populations while attracting beneficial pollinators, as well as already having existing perennials.
Lastly, the intent for irrigation of turf areas, would be to reduce watering from the previous levels while monitoring turf to make sure it is healthy and still offers safe play for participants.
Some options presented was to water less, water in the early morning as well as cut watering to the bare minimum with the realization of the need to conserve water.
There is also the option of collecting rain water in an old 1500-gallon water tank to aid in watering the trees and flowers.
A formal water conservation plan will be brought forward at a r future council meeting for approval.
Cheryl Bowman
ECA Review
