Message from the Mayor

By Ute Juras, Mayor of Canal Flats

During the Village of Canal Flats council meeting on February 11, council authorized the Family Resource Centre to use the meeting room in the Columbia Discovery Centre at an ad hoc basis. This means that residents in Canal Flats will be able to access their services, which include individual and family counselling, without having to travel to Invermere. For more information please contact the Family Resource Centre at 250-342-5566.

Council approved grants-in-aid for a total of $9,250.  Application approvals included the Canal Flats Community Society, Canal Flats Food Bank, Canal Flats Minor Hockey, MMES PAC, Canal Flats Civic Centre, Headwaters Arts Society and the Columbia Valley Hospice Society.

Councillor Dean Midyette and I are still working on our Economic Development Plan for the village.  Council has authorized funding in this year’s budget to hire a contractor for developing a Community/Business Profile, which will assist us in attracting and retaining business and residents in the village. This budget allotment will also allow us to apply for a grant to the Columbia Basin Trust to help subsidize this contract position.

On Saturday, February 22 we officially re-opened the arena. The project, which included a new concrete slab for the ice, new bleachers and a dehumidifier, was completed in early October 2013.  I would like to thank those who came out to celebrate with us. Special thanks to Electoral Area F director Wendy Booth and Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Chair, Electoral Area C director Rob Gay for joining us.

At this time I would also like to recognize those who made this project possible. First of all, the Province of British Columbia for the $800,000 grant, CBT for $50,000 and Canfor for the donation of the lumber for the bleachers. Chris Fairbanks of Fairbanks Architects for leading the project, Brysand Contracting for doing a phenomenal job completing the project on time and the Arena Building Committee (Wendy Booth, Lloyd Wilder, Paul Marcil, Mathieu Fournier, Chris Fairbanks and Brian Woodward) for all of their hard work. Last but most certainly not least, a huge thank you to Mathieu Fournier! Brysand Contracting actually paid his wages in order to use him as a consultant during the retrofit.  His expertise was invaluable and I would also like to commend his dedication, to not just this project, but to everything arena related. We are very lucky to have you.

Construction on the water system upgrades has come to a halt at the moment due to the heavy frost. We expect work to resume within the next couple of months. Despite the weather break the project is still on time and, most important, on budget. Stay tuned for further updates as the project moves forward.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions /concerns  (Phone: 250-489-9070, E-mail: [email protected]).

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