Parkland Food Bank is celebrating 25 years

The Parkland Food Bank is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and is nearing the end of its 25 Days till Christmas countdown fundraiser. The organization is asking for donations of $25 this holiday season – team up with four friends and donate $5 each, or put aside $1 a day until Christmas – funds to go towards a new walk-in freezer and building a garage for the delivery van.

Donations can be made online, and more information can by visiting their website.

The Parkland Food Bank serves the communities of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County.  2010 has marked the busiest year for the Food Bank, with a record number of clients registered and hampers distributed.

Michelle Olsen was presented with a gift from Mayor Rob Wiedeman

Parkland County Council took a few minutes during its  September 28th meeting to recognize and congratulate three residents who submitted  entries in Phase 3  of the County’s Resident Photography Contest. Of all the entries  received, photos submitted by Tammy Assinger, Corrie Lewis and Michelle Olsen were  selected as the top three entries.

“Parkland County residents seemed to have a lot of fun with the summer phase of the  contest,” said Jackie Ostashek, Communications Coordinator. “We received 176  photographs, all showing a unique perspective of summer in Parkland County.  Once  again, the judges had a difficult time narrowing down the field to only three winners.”   The photos, “Darcy and Archie” by Tammy Prusak Assinger, “Old and New” by Corrie  Lewis, and “Watching the Storm” by Michelle Olsen, will be included in a Parkland  County 2011 calendar. The three residents each received a prize package valued at  $250 and included a Parkland County travel safety kit, notebook, ball cap, water bottle,  a Mino HD Flip Video Camera. All photos submitted become part of Parkland County’s  collection for use in future marketing and promotional materials.

“It is very obvious that Parkland County residents are proud of their community,” said  Ostashek. “The level of participation continues to exceed my expectations and I thank  everyone for contributing to the contest and to the collection. As much as I look forward  to the fall entries, this is the final phase of the contest, and I will miss the interaction with  the participants and seeing the County through their eyes.”

The contest, which started December 1, 2009, is broken down into four phases  according to seasons and runs until November 30, 2010. Phase 4 – “Falling for  Parkland County,” launched September 1st and County residents can submit their  fall-themed photos until November 23rd. Three photos will be selected from each phase  of the contest and the 12 photos will be included in a special edition Parkland County  calendar.

Full contest rules and entry forms can be found on the Parkland County website at  www.parklandcounty.com, picked up from Parkland County Centre, or requested by  email to photos@parklandcounty.com.

“Darcy and Archie” by Tammy Prusak Assinger

“Old and New” by Corrie Lewis

“Watching the Storm” by Michelle Olsen

Mayor
Rob Wiedeman
Rodney Shaigec

Division 1
Derek Prue – Alberta Venture article, Avenue article
Sonia Kochansky
Patrick Doyle
Jo Szady

Division 2
Dianne Allen
Jackie McCuaig

Division 3
Clifford Goerz
Phyllis Kobasiuk

Division 4
Darrell Hollands

Division 5
Denise Locher
Ken Darby

Division 6
Tracey Melnyk

Towers being constructed

With nine new towers being constructed and commissioned  in the region, on September 13th, Parkland County took a moment to celebrate its latest  milestone in bringing reliable, affordable high-speed internet access to its residents,   “Internet access was an issue for our residents,” said Mayor Rob Wiedeman. “When we  conducted the rural broadband study, we came to understand the challenges of the  service providers.  It simply wasn‟t economically viable for these companies to build the  towers needed to serve the community.”  With this knowledge in place, Parkland County researched tower sites that were in  higher elevations, had ready access to power, and were in close proximity to the Alberta  SuperNet Points-of-Presence. The County used this information to create a network of  towers with the ability to provide internet access to the underserved areas of the  community.

“Broadband Internet is increasingly a must-have for individuals, families and businesses  in Yellowhead,” said Minister Rob Merrifield.  “Having access to high-speed Internet  helps people access important economic and social benefits.  Our Government believes  Canadians should have access to broadband internet wherever they live and I‟m  pleased to see Parkland County getting these towers.”

Parkland County‟s efforts to extend broadband access were validated when it  successfully accessed provincial and federal grants to fund construction of the towers.   “The construction and commissioning of the nine communications towers in western  Parkland County heralds the imminent arrival of wireless broadband high-speed Internet   access for some 8,000 residents of the region,” said Minister Rona Ambrose. “Our  Government is committed to the expansion of broadband service to unserved and  underserved regions of Canada. Under Canada‟s Economic Action Plan, we have  provided $225 million over three years to support local projects like the Parkland County  Intelligent Community Initiative.”

“This project is a good example of co-operation and shared investment by all levels of  government and will provide many benefits to area residents,” said Luke Ouellette,  Minister of Alberta Transportation. “The Alberta government‟s ongoing investment in our  communities enhances the quality of life of Albertans and is gaining the province some  of the most advanced infrastructure in North America.”  Although internet access was the driving force, Parkland County also realized there  were other opportunities that would further enhance quality of life in the County.   “It was important for Council that the broadband initiative could become self-sustaining,  and to do this, we had to create an opportunity for partnerships,” said Wiedeman. “What  we built was a Rural Communications Network that goes beyond internet access and  has the ability to serve a variety of communications needs. It is a unique and exciting  initiative and we believe that Parkland County is on the leading edge of making  communications a necessity to ensure a higher quality of life.”  Funded on a utility model, the County‟s Rural Communications Network will be a  scalable, carrier grade network that will allow communications providers, including  enhanced 911, wireless internet, mobility/cellular companies, automated gas meter  reading, and others, to rent space on the County-owned towers. With this model in  place, Parkland County expects the network will have a positive cash flow in three to  five years and, as a result, will not require tax revenue to support ongoing operating  costs.

With all nine towers expected to be constructed and operational by the end of the  October, Parkland County has already put the word out it is looking for tenants.

“We have posted an Expression of Interest for wireless internet service providers and  for mobility companies and have already received positive responses,” said Al McCully,  General Manager, Community Services. “We are confident that we will have a selection  of businesses to co-locate on the towers and fill the „final mile‟ from tower to consumer.”  The final mile will also signal the County‟s ability to embark on the next phase of the  project, which is to make Parkland County an Intelligent Community, a community that  utilizes broadband technology for a range of communication, learning, business, marketing and economic development purposes.

Keeping with the theme of partnerships that brought the project this far, Parkland County established the Intelligent Community Regional Partnership, which includes Parkland County, the Villages of Wabamun and Spring Lake and the Summer Villages of Seba Beach, Lakeview, Kapasiwin and Betula Beach.  “All partners will share the benefits of the Intelligent Community Project,” said Wiedeman. “We are looking to partner with education agencies and organizations, such as Green Hectares, to help deliver programs that fulfill the mandate of becoming an Intelligent Community.”

The Parkland County Intelligent Community project is based on a model developed by  the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). Broadband connectivity is a powerful and  essential tool to build prosperous, inclusive and sustainable rural communities and  economies.  ICF seeks to share the best practices of the world’s Intelligent Communities  in adapting to the demands of the Digital Economy to help communities everywhere find  sustainable renewal and growth.

BizPal launched

During the grand opening celebrations of the new Memorial  Composite High School in Stony Plain, Parkland County Mayor Rob Wiedeman  announced a one-time scholarship for a 2010 graduating student pursuing further  education in agricultural or related studies.

“Parkland County has a long and rich history built on agriculture,” said Mayor Rob  Wiedeman. “Agriculture is one of the most important – yet undervalued – industries that  we depend upon daily. Offering this scholarship reflects Parkland County’s value of  education in today’s challenging and rapidly-changing world, recognizes the  commitment of youth to preserve our rural roots, and promotes the importance of  agriculture for our future sustainability.”

The scholarship, valued at $1000, is offered this year only. To be eligible to apply for the  scholarship, the student must be a Grade 12 student at Memorial Composite High  School in Stony Plain and will be graduating in 2010. Some of the other criteria include:

1. Student must be planning to further his or her education (college, technical  school, university).
2. Student is planning to pursue an education in agriculture or a field of studies  related in some way to a rural and/or agriculture career (i.e. veterinary science,  home economics, soil science, etc.).
3. Student has demonstrated a commitment and interest in their community through  their contribution to community service and involvement.

Applications will be available April 1, 2010.  Deadline for applications is May 31, 2010. A  panel comprised of all of Parkland County Council will review the applications and  select the most deserving candidate for the scholarship.

Parkland County is a rural municipality located immediately west of Edmonton. Covering an  area of 242,595 hectares (599,500 acres), it is one of the largest in size and one of the highest  populated of all rural municipalities in Alberta. Parkland County has grown to a community of  over 30,000 people and has seen generations of families continue to enjoy country living.

Houston and Weideman

Productions at Horizon Stage will benefit from a new lighting system, after  Parkland County announced they will contribute $20,050 to the project.

“Horizon Stage has seen many talented performers over the years and the upgrades to the  facility will showcase future performances in style,” said Parkland County Mayor Rob  Wiedeman.  “Parkland County and Spruce Grove residents can be proud to have this  exceptional facility in their community.”

The state-of-the-art system will include a new digital lighting console, 80 new lights and all the  rigging and hardware required to install them. The installation is expected to be complete by  the start of the 2010-2011 season.

The lighting system will complete a renovation project that began in 2008, which saw the  theatre refurbished and modernized. It will match the technical achievement of the new sound  system and allow Horizon Stage to function at the highest level of artistic and technical  proficiency.

“Parkland County has been generous in its support of Horizon Stage since its inception,” said  Spruce Grove Mayor Stuart Houston. “This is one more example of how the residents of  Spruce Grove and Parkland County benefit when we work together.”

The project has received $125,100 from the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund and $75,000 from  the provincial government’s Community Initiatives Program. The Horizon Stagelighters also  contributed $10,000.

Horizon Stage is jointly owned by the City of Spruce Grove and Parkland County, and is  located at 1001 Calahoo Road inside Spruce Grove Composite High School.

Springham Rally 2010

Having fun safely was a key message shared by Parkland  County’s Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Unit at the Trail Seekers Snowmobile Club rally  held February 6th at the Jack Pine Grazing Reserve.  Jason Springham, OHV officer,  was invited to attend the rally and share information regarding Parkland County’s OHV  bylaw and best practices for safe operation of off highway vehicles.

“Parkland County really appreciated the invitation to be part of this event,” said  Springham. “It was a great opportunity for the County and Trail Seekers to work  together and help promote safe and responsible riding.”

Springham’s presentation included an overview of Parkland County’s OHV Bylaw 38-  2008, including required documentation such as registration and insurance, restricted  age, and helmet requirements.  Springham also fielded a number of questions regarding  OHV use on provincial highways, County roads, and riding on private property.

Although there was no active enforcement during the event, all riders were required to  comply with the Parkland County OHV Bylaw 38-2008 as well possess as an Alberta  Snowmobile Association trail pass in order to participate.  Underage riders with smaller  machines were not permitted on the trail and were supervised on a closed course.

“Overall, this was a very positive event,” said Springham. “This particular trail system is  marked to guide riders and provides for safe, enjoyable riding.”

The Off-Highway officer position was implemented in May 2009 as one of the  recommendations from the Off-Highway Vehicle Committee.  Since inception, the OHV  Officer has been focusing on targeted enforcement and public education.

Parkland County first passed a bylaw regulating OHV use in 1993, with subsequent  bylaws passed in 2003. In 2008, Parkland County Council passed the new OHV Bylaw  38-2008, which included increased fines for offences under the bylaw and changed the  minimum age of OHV operators from 14 to 16 years of age and possessing a valid  Class 5 Operator’s License. For more information on the OHV Bylaw 38-2008, visit the  Parkland County website at www.parklandcounty.com or contact Parkland County  Enforcement Services at 780-968-8400.

BizPal launched

Parkland County Council Chambers was a hub of activity as  many turned out to witness the launch of the County’s newest online service, BizPaL.   During the launch, County staff conducted a demonstration of the simple  online question and answer tool, showing how quickly entrepreneurs can find the  licence and permit information they need to start a business in Parkland County.   “Economic development is a priority in the County’s Strategic Plan,” said Mayor Rob  Wiedeman. “Anyone considering starting a business in Parkland County can use  BizPaL on the County’s website and quickly figure out what permits and licenses they  need as well as the cost as part of their research. This tool further promotes Parkland  County as the place to do business.”

BizPaL is a project initiated by Industry Canada in conjunction with provincial and  municipal governments. Parkland County joins other municipalities in Alberta, British  Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,  Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories and the  Yukon who are already using BizPaL to promote business development in their  communities.

“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our government is helping small businesses  by increasing access to financing, lowering taxes and cutting red tape,” said Minister of  State Rob Moore. “BizPaL is a great example of the government’s hard work to support  small and medium-sized enterprises across Canada as they innovate, create jobs and  generate wealth in our communities.”

How does BizPaL work?
1. Visit the Parkland County website at www.parklandcounty.com, Online Services, BizPaL.
2. Answer a short series of questions about your current or proposed business to create a customized list of the permits and licences you may need from all levels of government.
3. Save or print your results for future reference. For more information, contact Parkland County Planning and Development at 780-968-8443 or Economic Development and Tourism at 780-968-8406. You can also learn more about BizPaL by visiting the Industry Canada website at www.bizpal.ca

Broadband in the county

Construction on Parkland County’s broadband network will begin next year.  The County has a partnership with Westcan Wireless who will be building the towers that will form the backbone for the system.  Wireless internet service providers, wishing to connect to the high speed network, will be able to build into these towers.  Eventually, the County is hoping that all residents will have access to high speed internet.

Parkland officials comment that thus “far, the County has secured over $3 million in grants to build the network in the unserved west region of the County.  An additional grant application has been submitted to acquire capital funding to focus on underserved areas in the east region.”

For more information, visit the Parkland County web site.

The Entwistle sewage lagoon is being upgraded

After considering all the factors, Parkland County Council  voted in favour of modifying the Entwistle Lagoon in order to treat sewage generated in  the West Parkland Region.

“Parkland County retained Stantec Consulting Inc. to look at different options available  for sewage treatment in the west end of the County,” said Rob McGowan, General  Manager Infrastructure Service. “When we look at all the options, expanding the  Entwistle Lagoon makes the most sense. It exceeds current Alberta Environment  requirements, improves on the sustainability of the lagoon, it fits within the very tight  timelines imposed by the Building Canada Fund – Infrastructure Stimulus Fund grant,  and it is within budget.”

The Entwistle Lagoon will be modified by adding an aeration system to the existing  primary cells and will see the addition of a Submerged Attached Growth Reactor  (SAGR) system, which consists of a gravel bed covered with mulch. The SAGR system  allows effluent to flow through the gravel layer while the mulch acts as a layer of  insulation, allowing treatment during the cold winter months that reduces ammonia and  odour.

“Modifying the Entwistle Lagoon allows us to explore other improvements to the site,  such as controlled vehicle access, alternative power supply, improvements to odour  control and allowances for future advanced treatment options,” said McGowan. “For the  Entwistle residents, this means they will have a superior, sustainable sewage lagoon  with greater capacity, longer life, and improved environmental standards at no cost to  them.”

Parkland County started researching the need for a new sewage lagoon for the west  portion of the County as the Seba Beach Lagoon has reached its capacity. Alternative  sites were explored, but time and cost were quickly proving to be prohibitive.   “We have until March 31, 2011, to have the project designed, tendered, constructed  and online,” said McGowan. “That gives us only one construction season to meet the  grant requirements.”

Concerns were also raised about the cost of hauling to the Entwistle Lagoon.  “When the Seba Beach was closed to truck-hauled sewage, many residents in the area  started paying more,” said McGowan. “Unfortunately, timing was a factor, the cost of  servicing and gas prices were very high at the time. The haulers looked at the situation  as an opportunity to review their overall pricing structure and adjusted their fees  accordingly. As part of our research, we contacted the companies and asked how much  less they would charge if they only needed to haul to the Seba Beach area. The fee  difference was minimal when compared to the total hauling fee.”

Over the next few months, Stantec will finalize the design for the Entwistle Lagoon  upgrade and have the project ready for tender in early 2010. Construction is expected to  be completed in late 2010.

[Source: Parkland County]