The inaugural Medieval Day hosted by the Nan Boothby Library received a proclamation to make July 23, “Medieval Day.
The inaugural Medieval Day hosted by the Nan Boothby Library received a proclamation to make July 23, “Medieval Day. ”
Despite this being the first year for the event, organizers stole the hearts of mayor and council after making a grand entrance by “Ironhart Vanguard knights ” from the International Medieval Combat Federation in costume playing a trumpet.
The knights presented Mayor Ivan Brooker with a crown, scepter and sealed scroll requesting the event day be proclaimed “Medieval Day ” in Cochrane.
Administration explained to mayor and council that the town does not “normally make proclamations in support of single community events, ” and listed the criteria for a proclamation, staitng the request “clearly ” did not fall within policy, including; the sponsoring agency be a not-for-profit organization; the cause be of national significance with local connection; or the cause be of benefit to the majority of the citizens of Cochrane.
Administration also warned that proclaiming July 23 as “Medieval Day ” could create an influx of proclamation request for all events and event organizers in Cochrane.
After a brief discussion between councillors about the positives and negatives of approving the request, it was decided this event would be the exception.
“I can support a one-off, it sounds like a lot of fun, ” Coun. Ross Watson said.
Brooker and his wife were requested to attend Medieval Day as the royal guests, while the rest of council was also invited to attend and encouraged to dress up.
Medieval Day will be six hours of fun on July 23 hosted at the Nan Boothby Memorial Library with food trucks, demonstrations, sword practices, a petting zoo, children's crafts, and organizers encouraging everyone to attend in costume.
For more information go to cochranepubliclibrary.ca/content/medieval-day
Last month the Town of Cochrane, the town's Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and United Way approved $160,778 in grant funding for local organizations. The groups received 21 applications for funding and awarded all a certain amount - except for the Arts and Culture Foundation of Cochrane (ACFC).
The ACFC organizers contacted administration, earlier this month, inquiring why their grant application - that was due May 1 - was not approved. Administration said the application was never received but still brought the request before to council for consideration.
ACFC requested $2,500 for the organization's new Sunday artisans markets, with a maximum of $2,427.50 available from the Community Grants & Arts & Culture Endowment Fund. Council approved the request.
Thefts and breaks and enters were on the rise from 2014 to 2015, the RCMP annual mayors report showed.
Reports of theft increased to 457 in 2015 compared to 301 in 2014. Break and enter reports also increased to 82 in 2015 from 52 in 2014. An increase in some of the areas can partially be attributed an increase in retail and “big box ” stores, the report stated, while the increase was also attributed to two suspects in 2015 who went on a crime spree with a “rash of thefts and break and enters, ” Sgt. Darleen White explained.
The suspects have since been caught, charged and both are awaiting their court dates.
White also noted during the presentation that drug enforcement was up, which was both a “positive and negative ” for the police but mostly a positive because it meant the RCMP was getting “out there ” and finding suspects.
Also with a higher volume of traffic in Cochrane and the surrounding area, vehicle collisions increased to 645 in 2015 from 613 in 2014.
The document was accepted as information.
For the full report go to cochraneab.civicweb.net
As part of a science class, Cochrane High School students proposed potential design solutions for transportation issues within the town.
Two groups presented from Patrick Court's and Lynn Moore's class, tackling the tri-school area off of Fourth Ave N.
The first group suggested widening the path by the park to create a secondary outlet by Cochrane High School, to help the flow of traffic. The students who proposed the solution researched the cost estimate to be $1.5 million.
The second group proposed to create an underground tunnel, to go under Highway 1A.
“We were told to the sky is the limit, ” one of the students said with a laugh.
The estimate cost for the underground solution was a proposed $760 million, to which a couple of councillors joking that if money was not an issue, it would be the perfect solution.
“Both presentations were awesome, ” said Coun. Mary Lou Davis-Eckmeier.
“We may need to find a shadow position for some of these ladies during the summer. ”
