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Out and About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 to
At Your Beck & Call Travel Talk
TUESDAY
Join us tonight for our first Travel Talk presentation on SCANDINAVIA
Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. at The Lefse House Just in time for Norwegian Independence Day!
Our representative from Collette Tours will give attendees information about our upcoming 14-day Scandinavian tour which includes three countries, 20 meals, accommodations and flights. Please RSVP as space is limited. Scandinavian snacks provided!
Future Travel Talk Tuesday
PRESENTATIONS:
Tuesday, May 31 African Safari Tuesday, June 14 Christmas in New York
Jane: 587-322-0441
Jane@yourbeckandcall.ca YOUR HOSTS:
Jane and Jason Beck
atyourbeckandcall.ca
Camrose Skating Club AGM
Your atte attendance is appreciatendance is appreciated: d: Wednesday, May 29 May 29 2:00-4:00 pm Arena Physio Lab
Come for re r refreshments and a chance to win a $100freshments and a chance to win a $100 credit ofedit off your f your skating registration for the 2022 skating registration for the 2022/2023 season. Join our board – it’s ’s fun and rewardin n and rewarding! Having the right leadership in place is critical to to our club’s suour club succes ccess! s!
A Must Try Meal
LUNCH SPECIAL
Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Curry Bowl $13.99
Choose any one: Butter Chicken, Beef Curry, Mango Chicken, Coconut Beef, Chicken Curry, Beef Vindaloo, Vegetable Korma, Mixed Vegetable Curry. Comes with two vegetables, Curry, Rice, Salad and Naan
587.386.0055
6510-48 Avenue, Camrose www.panflame.ca
TAKE OUT | DINE IN | DELIVERY
Funds raised for Ukraine families
Murray Green, Camrose Booster
The Camrose Refugee Centre benefit event at the Bailey Theatre on May 6, through auctions and donations, raised $28,617 for the Ukrainian families coming to Camrose. Below, people viewed displays and silent auction items. Serhii Kardash shared his journey to Canada, life in Ukraine during the war and thanked local citizens for its generosity through his daughter Olena. Together with funds already raised, the organization is trying to bring at least four families to Camrose.
SIDES OF BEEF
By Lori Larsen
In a report to council, City of Camrose Infrastructure and Planning Engineering manager Jeremy Enarson explained the purpose behind the Camrose Source Water Protection Plan (SWPP).
Enarson said that while there is no legislated requirement for Camrose to develop a SWPP, the City is required to develop and maintain a Drinking Water Safety Plan (DWSP) which is used to identify risks associated with the City’s drinking water system and actions that the City can take to manage those risks.
“The DWSP focuses on four main areas of the water operations: water source risks, treatment process risks, distribution network risks and risks associated with the end-user/ customer.”
In his report, Enarson indicated that of the four main areas, the City has the least amount of control over the risks associated with its raw water source, specifically Driedmeat Lake and the Battle River. “This is mainly because of the fact that over 95 per cent of the land area that drains into Driedmeat Lake is located outside of the City limits, and thus is outside of the City’s jurisdictional control.”
Enarson said that because of that minimal control, it is critical for the City to bond partnerships with other stakeholders, such as the Battle River Watershed Alliance and Camrose County. “Recently, when the City and the County entered into a number of regional water agreements, we both agreed that watershed protection was something that we wanted to strive towards, and so one of the requirements of those agreements was for the City and the County to collaborate on a Source Water Protection Plan.”
As a result, the City and the County engaged Battle River Watershed Alliance in assisting with developing the SWPP.
“Work on the SWPP began in late 2014, with the Terms of Reference being formally approved by City and County councils in early 2015,” said Enarson, adding that a stakeholder advisory committee consisting of County and City representatives from administration and elected representatives, as well as local residents and business owners from both municipalities was created.
In September 2016, the plan was formerly adopted by both County and City councils.
The plan identifies the following source water risks:
Urban: transportation, stormwater, lawn care products, development and construction, green spaces and wetlands, recreation and wildlife, wastewater.
Rural: land management, oil and gas development, transportation, development and construction, green spaces, wetlands, recreation, water wells and springs, wastewater, waste disposal and wildlife.
The plan then identifies specific actions to be taken by the County or City to manage the risks identified, recommended time frames for taking those actions (short/ medium and long-term) and any specific organizations or stakeholders responsible for implementing the recommended actions.
Enarson noted that since the adoption of the SWPP, the City has implemented some changes in operations such as: • continued/expanded catch basin cleaning and street sweeping • ongoing efforts to encourage developers to consider incorporating low impact development stormwater management techniques into new developments • researching ways to require developers to implement erosion and sediment control plans for new and infill developments • ongoing naturalization of sensitive green spaces • enhancing natural green spaces in the Stoney
Creek valley and around
Mirror Lake • Using the Green Spaces
Master Plan to identify and protect wetlands, riparian areas and other natural green spaces within City limits • maintaining and expanding the use of bag dispensers and garbage bins along walking tails • upgrading of City’s
Wastewater Treatment
Plant and, • continuation of the household hazardous waste round-ups.
“The intent on this is that both the City and County, various stakeholders and residents are taking action to improve our water quality over the long term,” said Enarson.
Councillor Agnes Hoveland inquired as to what measures the City has made to mitigate water shortage and what kind of education programs for water protection are available.
Enarson said the City monitors the flow within the Battle River as well as the level of Driedmeat Lake. “We take that information and plug it into a spreadsheet to identify how many days are in storage in the lake. Based off of that, the City can then identify the level of risk for the City water supply and what the City’s water shortage response would be, whether it involves mandatory conservations and water bans essentially.”
Enarson said that aside from monitoring water levels, which he noted is more of a reactive process, the City also has proactive programs, such as the toilet rebate program and educating the public on what they can do to reduce water use.
Councillor David Francoeur asked what the City could be doing to be more proactive in approaching counties to create legislation surrounding fencing back from the river and lake, “What we can do a little bit more aggressively to resolve the issue.”
Enarson replied, “The City does not have any jurisdiction control or rights within another municipality and that is where those partnerships come in–the City and County working closely together on the adopting a SWPP.
“Long term in our SWPP, there a number of things that are identified that the City and County can do, including identifying that awareness of landowners adjacent to tributaries, who may not realize what riparian areas are and how we can protect them.”
Enarson also suggested going out and doing actual on-the-ground assessments, with the blessing of landowners, to determine the health of the river and lake and how far back fencing would need to be placed, as well as how livestock could access drinking water.
City manager Malcolm Boyd inquired with Battle River Watershed Alliance Watershed programs manager Sarah Skinner as to whether or not there is anything going on provincially that the City could actively support or advocate to help control the agriculture side of the water issue.
Skinner responded that there was nothing currently in existence provincially that would require anybody to put a fenceline in at any distance. “It takes some hard work to make the connections and sell the case, but that is currently what we are working with in terms of putting these things into practice.”
Enarson added that there are some revisions within provincial legislation surrounding conservation easements which must be accepted by the landowners, but added that he is not aware of any mandate coming from Alberta Agriculture on changing how things are being done.
Councillor Hoveland asked BRWA representatives if they have opportunities to meet on a moreor-less regular basis with provincial ministers.
Skinner replied that they don’t have regular meetings, but that the managers in all watershed organizations meet regularly and sometimes will have government representatives there, but not necessarily to talk specifically on these issues.
Councillor Lana Broker asked Enarson, “Alberta Environment is a powerful entity. Is there any way to convince them to get together with Alberta Agriculture and let them know how passionate we are about this, that we are willing to work with them, but need more of their help, for example, some funding?”
Enarson replied that elected officials should be encouraged to have those discussions in terms of raising awareness and funding, and added that a good deal of the funding for BRWA comes from the province to encourage awareness and education.
In conclusion, Enarson reiterated the importance of having strong partnerships with the County and other stakeholders such as BRWA, and that addressing this concern must come from all levels of government.
Submitted
City of Camrose Community Services general manager Ryan Poole takes in a beautiful sunset on Mirror Lake while paddling a kayak on the lake, one of Camrose’s precious water sources.
PSD Zoe supports CORE
Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster
