VLTs survey to poll up to 700 homes

By Stan Ashbee
Sunny South News

Town of Coaldale Coun. Jack Van Rijn submitted a report to the Coaldale and District Chamber of Commerce at a meeting held earlier this month.
According to Van Rijn’s report, the Town of Coaldale — along with the communities of Coalhurst, Picture Butte and Barons — are in the process of entering a formal agreement to have a joint regional Community Peace Officer program.
“This initiative I have previously reported on was started in 2014 and was further enhanced with a grant totalling $226,900 that was approved in March of this year. This grant was issued under the Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) program,” Van Rijn noted.
Van Rijn reported a 2016 Development Summary to the end of November 2016:
* 41 new home builds totalling $10,630,551.
* 45 residential additions or renovations totalling $701,825.
* 10 mobile homes brought in totalling $2,000,000.
* One multi-family unit valued at $300,000.
* Industrial construction totalling $1,980,000.
* Commercial construction totalling $4,565,000.
* Total value of all development permits is $20,177,376.
Coaldale town council, Van Rijn stated in his report, passed a motion at a Nov. 28 meeting in response to concerns relating to traffic volumes and driver and pedestrian safety along 30 Avenue, which is the road that takes motorists to the Quads. The motion captured the following:
1) The speed limit along the stretch of 30 Avenue from Highway 845 to 13 Street be reduced from 50 kilometres an hour to 40 kilometres an hour.
2) A three-way stop be installed at the intersection of 30 Avenue and 17 Street.
3) Enforcement patrols be increased in the area of 30 Avenue between Highway 845 and 13 Street, including but not limited to the use of photo radar.
Van Rijn noted Coaldale town council passed a motion at a Nov. 14 meeting to direct administration to engage a professional polling firm to investigate the community of Coaldale’s opinion on the reintroduction of VLTs into Coaldale.
“This survey will be done by polling up to 700 homes in Coaldale with the results coming back to council in early January for their consideration,” Van Rijn said in his report.
Van Rijn stated in his report to the chamber, there’s currently a Back Alley “Blitz” being held by the town’s Municipal Enforcement Bylaw concerning waste and recycling collection containers.
“There’s a problem with residents leaving them in the public allies when they should be kept on their own private property except for collection day,” Van Rijn stated in his report.
As part of this “Blitz,” Van Rijn added, certain areas of town will be targeted and anyone found in violation will be notified by means of a sticker attached to their containers, outlining the rules and then by a follow up visit.
“Non-compliance will result in an issuance of a Remedial Order under section 545 of the Municipal Government Act or a summons being issued for a breach of this bylaw or both. This enforcement will be done throughout our community to insure compliance,” he stated in his report.
The purpose, Van Rijn said in his report, is to mitigate the problem of the bins being in the way to allow for proper maintenance of the alleyways by town equipment.

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