Council reconsiders parking issue

Town council changes decision to move
Main Street overflow parking

By Brittany Willsie
Staff Reporter 

On Sept. 20, Town of Rocky Mountain House council held their regular meeting. Some topics of discussion included downtown parking, Christmas tree costs and the length of terms for the Municipal Planning Commission. 

Council also changed the dates of two council meetings in October by one day. Regular meetings previously scheduled for Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 will now take place on Oct. 3 and Oct. 19. 

Main Street Parking

Following a delegation, council amended a former motion in favour of once again entering a parking agreement with Bauer’s Furniture. 

Council had decided to move Main Street overflow parking to the Rocky Regional Recreation Centre at their Aug. 16 meeting, but revisited the topic and came to a different decision on Sept. 20.

Councillor Len Phillips expressed the benefits of continuing to use the Bauer lot, at The Brick, for parking, including that it is closer for seniors and others to access Main Street. 

“When there are seniors and they’re pulling an RV and need somewhere to park, the Christenson centre (Rocky Regional Recreation Centre) is an option, however it’s still a two-block walk just to get to the top of Main Street and then potentially another three blocks to get to the bottom of Main Street, which may be too much for some individuals who are mobility challenged,” he said. 

“I get it, I understand. You feel we’re compensating a business, I feel we are providing a service for the businesses on Main Street, to be able to direct traffic and especially RVs to that parking lot.” 

Mayor Debbie Baich stood by council’s original decision to not enter a parking agreement and direct traffic to park at the rec centre instead. 

Following discussion, councillor Marley Capraro made a motion that the town negotiate a parking agreement with Randy Saler of Bauer’s Furniture up to a maximum of $2,600 for a three-year term.

The proposed agreement at the Aug. 16 meeting was for $3,000 a year over a five-year term. 

Baich voiced her position again before calling the motion to a vote. 

“I still feel very strongly that we shouldn’t have any agreements for any parking lots,” Baich said. 

The motion passed, with Baich voting in opposition. 

Christmas tree

Council considered three possible options for a town Christmas tree. Two options were over council’s budgeted amount of $20,000. The third option, to utilize an existing tree growing within the town, and buy and install new lights and decorations, was estimated to cost $5,000. 

Councillors voiced their preference for the third option, but opted to reduce the cost further. 

By only purchasing lights and not decorations for an existing tree, the capital budget was amended to $2,000 from $20,000.

With an existing tree towering over 20-feet tall, installation for the lights is estimated to cost $700. The cost will be covered by the town’s 2022 operating budget and it will cost an additional $700 in 2023 to hire a contractor to remove the lights. 

MPC term length 

Town council amended the subdivision and development authority bylaw to extend terms for the Municipal Planning Commission from one year, to two or three years.

Some advantages of this change are less training requirements, increased knowledge of members and reduced administration time. A disadvantage is that shorter terms may be easier to fill.

Council passed first, second and third readings for amending bylaw 2022/12 at the Sept. 20 meeting.