The construction of a spray park within the Town of Hanna has been discussed in the community for many years.
Council passed a motion at their regular meeting April 13 authorizing the town to award the spray park landscaping project to PlayQuest Recreation to install a Pour in Place rubber surface for a cost of $35,001 plus tax for 146 square metres.
It was further accepted that the 2021 capital budget for the spray park landscaping be increased to $35,001 to reflect the purchase and installation.
This motion passed 5 – 2 with Coun. Sandra Beaudoin and Coun. Gerald Campion opposed at Hanna’s latest council meeting on April 13.
Coun. Campion asked if having Coun. Kyle Olsen on the Spray Park committee while also serving as councillor was considered a conflict of interest.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kim Neill stated that this was not the case, saying they focus on pecuniary interest where a councillor or their family is directly benefiting financially from the topic of conversation.
In that instance, the councillor would excuse themselves from the vote.
Coun. Beaudoin asked to have the committee look for funding from other sources, suggesting the Elks Club, before coming to council for more money over the annual amount set out.
Coun. Olsen mentioned they are in no way interested in stopping their efforts to get grant funding to cover this extra $35,000.
This $35,001 will be given by the town to get the Pour in Place and so it can be ordered and installed prior to the park opening this summer.
While the committee has raised a portion of the funds required to date, they have not raised enough to match or exceed the contribution set aside by the town.
The committee has received funding in the amount of $2,400 through the South Eastern Alberta Community Foundation and has three grant applications submitted that they will not hear if they are successful until the middle of June at the earliest.
If successful, these funds will be used against the overall cost of the Pour in Place.
If they are not successful, the town will be the primary funder of the landscaping component.
In addition, the committee strongly recommended Option A which has now passed versus Option B which was smaller in size at 86 square metres for a cost of $23,690.
The larger surface from Option A will provide significant additional coverage especially around the washroom area and between the building and the spray pad.
Funding allocated for new flooring
Council has chosen to allocate $6,142 from the Hanna Dance Association Storage Project to the Hanna Dance Flooring Project at their Tues. April 13 regular meeting to provide the association with funds to assist with the completion of new dance flooring in the Edie Mae Duff Studio.
They will also adjust the 2021 Town of Hanna capital budget to provide the association with additional funding in the amount of $3,835.61 towards this project.
Seniors Circle
Alberta Pioneers Association of Hanna & District Seniors Circle has asked for $3,599.20 to cover operational costs accrued during COVID-19.
Council passed a motion to support the Seniors Circle for this amount with the funds coming from the 2021 Town of Hanna Operating Contingency.
Excavator, trailer purchase
Council passed the recommended motion to purchase a 2012 Case CX160B hydraulic excavator and attachments for $96,000 and a 2000 Southland flatbed trailer for $12,000 for a total of $108,000 plus GST as outlined in the offer for sale submitted by Mark Fecho of Almar Construction; and further that the 2021 capital budget be increased to $108,000 to reflect the purchase of the excavator and trailer.
The purchase of the excavator will allow the public works crew to complete maintenance and repairs without waiting for and paying a contractor.
It is anticipated the equipment will be used for various duties such as the maintenance of the spillway to Fox Lake and digging material from the piles of clay or millings.
The purchase of the excavator will allow town staff to make the majority of water/sewer repairs, however it is anticipated that in the winter months from December to April, the town will contract those repairs out as the contractor will have a larger/stronger high hoe which will deal with frost conditions easier and an insulated hydrovac that will not freeze up and require to be thawed out before it can be used again.
“We feel comfortable with the purchase. It will have a fairly long lifespan,” said CAO Neill.
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
