Council approved an additional $245,000 for the Hwy 22 and RancheHouse Road access project at council Sept. 8 — to be funded from provincial grants.
Construction is soon to get underway to change the intersection at Hwy 22 and RancheHouse Road — which will make access into that intersection a ‘right in, right out’ only.
Anyone who wishes to travel south along Hwy 22 will have to drive through Sunset Ridge and exit at the intersection (lights) located at Sunset Blvd and Hwy 22.
Members of council, including councillors Jeff Toews and Tara McFadden, questioned the $245K jump in costs projected to complete the project.
Rick Deans, senior manager of infrastructure for the town, explained that when the original capital budget for the project was presented for $433K (now $678K), specifications — including an increased cost in materials and labour and a redesign of the intersection to allow for right-in and right-out turns (Alberta Transportation originally bargained to close the intersection completely) — were not factored in.
Deans indicated that if the funds were not approved, the intersection would be closed altogether.
Second quarter operating and capital financial reports for the town were released, showing a $17.2M surplus, as property taxes for the year were levied in March, 2014 — but operating costs for the second half of the year have yet to occur. A year-end surplus of $480K is projected as a result of growth exceeding budget.
A public hearing for a proposed amendment to the River Heights Land Use Bylaw was held prior to town council’s meeting Sept. 8.
The application was to amend the Land Use Bylaw 01/2004 by adding ‘childcare services’ and ‘personal service shops’ as discretionary uses in the highway commercial district on a single parcel.
Council later gave a second and third reading to this bylaw. The amendment was adopted and the implication is to facilitate development of this land area.
Tracy Keith and Janine Rosler from the Cochrane and Area Humane Society (CAHS) presented their annual report on the local shelter to members of council.
The report covered the scope of programs and events that the local shelter coordinates each year and how the shelter plans to continue to grow their programming to meet the demand of animals in need as the Cochrane and area population continues to grow.
Around nine per cent of the shelter’s operating revenue comes from grants and government funding; last year the town provided a grant that covered three per cent of their operating costs.
The bulk of operating costs are a result of self-generating revenue and fundraising initiatives.
Total animals cared for in 2013 was 1,080. The shelter has a variety of programs in such areas as education (kids camps), outreach, training, fostering and sheltering and a preventative program in nearby Morley.
To learn more visit cochranehumane.ca.
