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These past few weeks have been
even busier than usual with a lot of issues coming before Council, City
staff and the Public. Alan Dolman and all of the I.H.A. met with the
Advisory Committee on Health Care as well as attending the Council meeting
to make a presentation on the upcoming changes to healthcare in
Revelstoke. The Advisory Committee made several recommendations that I
have passed on to Mr. Dolman, namely:
1. We
cannot endorse any of the changes in healthcare options presented without
having the financial information on each option.
2. The
committee and I believe the community wants a public meeting to have all
of the healthcare issues laid out and explained and the public given an
opportunity for input.
3. I
requested that the 4 frozen beds at Moberly be released so that
individuals known to need those beds can occupy them.
Mr. Dolman agreed to the
first 2 items and said he would refer the third to the appropriate person
in charge. We all know that changes to healthcare are coming and as a
community we are better being part of the negotiation at the start.
I along with most of
Council and several hundred locals attended the Mt Mackenzie open house
last Saturday. The presentations are well done and I know the developers
are doing a thorough job of getting through all the studies and planning
phases for what will be a world-class ski resort destination. Many of the
presentation boards are setup in City hall and we are working towards
having them available on the City website. Please let us know what you
think of the plans presented. We have received a lot of comments on the
proposed project and Council, Staff, the Developers and Land and Water BC
will be reviewing them.
Train Whistling was the
subject of an open house at the community centre. A summary report of the
evening was presented at the last Council meeting. This has been an
ongoing debate long before I came to town 26 years ago. I have requested
that all of Council be involved in this and that all of the anti-whistling
options for this crossing be looked at. That will include night-time
closure, full automatic gates similar to Pearson St. crossing as well as
permanent closure. This is not an across the tracks issue, or tourism
issue, this is an ‘All of Revelstoke’ issue. We cannot bring in an anti
whistling or noise bylaw, nor can we turn down the volume. There are only
a few alternatives. Councils over the years have received petitions for
leaving things the way they are, to doing whatever it takes to stop the
whistling.
Council, Staff, Enhancement
Committee, and Pool Committee have been wrestling with the outside design
of the indoor aquatic centre. We would all like to see something that fits
in more with the downtown revitalization, and we are working towards that
goal inside the parameters of the existing budget.
At the last Columbia
Shuswap Regional District meeting I relayed to the board the feeling of
the community on this past summers deplorable mosquito situation. I along
with Loni Parker have met with BC Hydro and they are looking into how the
operations of the dam affect the breeding cycle. The message to all
involved is that mosquitoes were at an unacceptable level and it cannot
and will not be a repeat next year.
Congratulations to Canadian
Avalanche Association moving into it's new home as well as receiving news
from the BC government on it's successful funding for 3 years. Now we are
waiting for Alberta and the Federal Government to do likewise.
Congratulations to everyone
nominated for the Chamber Awards and to the Chamber for hosting such a
great evening at the community centre. Way to go Emo's for dinner!
Council sends its
condolences to the family of Alex Johanson. Alex was instrumental in
helping setup our transit system and was a valuable member on that board
for years.
Mark McKee
Mayor
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