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Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Deciding on a date to reopen Jasper Activity Centre is scheduled for council's Aug.18 meeting.
A recommendation was made at Jasper Municipal Council’s August 11 Committee of the Whole meeting that council reopen the activity centre September 21, with reduced hours - noon to 8 p.m. - seven days a week. Other suggested reopening dates included those before and after Oct. 4.
Councillor Scott Wilson said he is disappointed with the hours proposed.
"We're opening with COVID-19 guidelines. By jamming it into eight hours of usage rather than 14 hours, we're just setting ourselves up for failure," he said.
Deputy mayor Bert Journault said, "I believe we should be opening in stages. I don't think we should open the whole facility on Sept. 21."
Coun. Paul Butler noted user groups including gymnastics and dance are looking at an opening date of mid-October, and wondered if the municipality should be accepting requests for gatherings.
"Let's save money where we can," he said.
Coun. Rico Damota said having the activity centre open gives people the opportunity to get out of the house, that it's good for the community.
He acknowledged the importance of the fiscal health that Butler mentioned, but said social health is important too.
Ireland said he struggles to see why requests cannot be accommodated now.
About not opening the activity centre until a class or event is scheduled, Ireland said, "There will be no activity if it's not open," and added such a facility is the heart of many communities.
Wilson reiterated the importance of opening sooner rather than later, and said, "It makes sense to open all our facilities on one date and move forward in unison."
He pointed out, "June 9 was the suggested date we could start opening in stages."
Butler noted many community halls are not open continuously, and that there needs to be adaptation and adjustment to the reality of the fiscal environment. He said it's not an 'all or nothing' scenario.
On S-block parking fees
Council talked about parking fees for the newly-constructed S-Block parking lot which is designated as “parking for community members”.
In the Request For Decision, administration’s recommendation was to implement a monthly fee of $150 for users of the service, which breaks down to $5 a day. It was noted that there needs to be a balance between affordability and uptake by Jasper residents and cost recovery for the service.
Damota and Wilson said more money needs to be charged for larger lots and Ireland said council should "have a preamble before any motion, just to tie it together, so there's a better record of why we did what we did".
Some parking space along Stan Wright Drive has been lost with the construction of the parking lot.
A decision about S-Block parking fees is scheduled for a decision at the Aug. 18 council meeting.
Counting cardboard
The amount of commercial cardboard discarded by businesses has grown exponentially, said John Greathead, director of operations, and town staff has to spend extra time flattening boxes during the commercial cardboard pick-up service.
Administration provided background information: originally, the intent of the commercial cardboard service was that businesses could deliver their cardboard to the Environmental Services Building during work hours, and that material would be baled, stored and then shipped out for recycling processing.
Since then, expectations have increased to include pick up, and business support has drastically decreased to the point where almost none of the businesses are flattening the cardboard.
Greathead said, "We have been telling businesses they need to flatten their cardboard. We get cooperation at first, then it drifts back to not flattening it."
There was a suggestion that business owners use fencing to contain the cardboard, but not all businesses have that option.
Journault said businesses keep the front of their buildings clean and they should keep the back of their buildings clean too.
Damota asked Greathead what his preferred method of changing the scenario is and Greathead suggested business licencing should be tied in with a zero waste policy.
Damota and Wilson suggested collaborating with businesses first, before implementing an option such as discontinuing the service if businesses do not flatten their cardboard.
And Ireland said the town should pursue extended producer responsibility legislation "before the waste is even shipped in our direction".
Butler said the current situation needs to be corrected and noted Edmonton does not offer commercial waste pick-up.
Council will discuss the commercial cardboard conundrum when a concrete option is proposed.
‘The word is out’
The message about face coverings now being mandatory in Jasper is spreading, council said at Tuesday’s meeting.
This follows their decision to make wearing face coverings mandatory at a meeting on August 4.
Christine Nadon, legislative services manager, noted information about the new bylaw was shared a multitude of times on social media. She noted the handouts given to visitors at park gates about face coverings being mandatory will be updated soon.
Mayor Richard Ireland said word appears to be out based on emails he's received from people outside the community.
