During their regular meeting May 13, Sylvan Lake councillors:
• passed first reading of a bylaw which will require owners of multi-family dwellings with 12 or more units to provide suitable on-site recycling services for their tenants.
There are nine buildings that fall under this bylaw with a total of 474 units. Staff is to contact building owners in writing to solicit feedback and bring the bylaw back to council at a later date for second and third reading.
• approved the purchase of a second automated garbage collection vehicle. The 2013 budget included funding for purchase of one vehicle which was ordered in March for October delivery. It was expected the second vehicle would be proposed for the 2014 budget.
By purchasing the second truck now for delivery later this year they can reduce the time spent collecting garbage and increase the number of pickups as the town grows.
Currently garbage is collected four days a week and by retrofitting an existing truck with a lift assist arm, a fifth day would likely have been needed until a second new truck was added.
The second truck will be purchased from Superior Trucks Ltd. of Calgary for $236,233 excluding GST, and minor incidental costs, the same price as the truck ordered in March. It would be paid for from the solid waste reserve.
• directed administration to develop parameters for a new or integrated fee assistance program to specifically identify support for special needs children and adults in Sylvan Lake and propose the fee assistance program to council during 2014 budget deliberations. In the meantime the existing ‘You Can Play Too’ program will be maintained for 2013.
The report arose following a request for assistance with recreation fees made by Sylvan Lake Special Needs Support Group at the Apr. 8 council meeting.
• unanimously approved the development permit for Hockey Central’s sports lounge and memorabilia store which is located in the former Smugglers building at the corner of 50th Street and Lakeshore Drive.
Council’s approval was necessary because the property is within a direct control zone.
• Dogs loose in Centennial Park was a concern voiced by Councillor Laverne Asselstine. “We really need somebody to deal with this issue, stop dogs running at large and making a mess. We need boots on the ground. People read signs by the just don’t get it,” he said.