During their regular meeting Aug. 11, Sylvan Lake councillors:
● turned down a request from an adjacent landowner to be given portions of lots bordering the walking trail on the former railway right-of-way through town.
The residents requested the town consider transferring four partial lots for the cost of having the title transferred. They would clean up dead fall, replace trees to maintain privacy between the trail system and their yard and planned to construct a two car garage.
● approved a development permit for construction of an outdoor patio connected to Bravo Gastro Lounge on the empty lot to the west.
● passed second and third readings of a bylaw to designate a school site in Beacon Hill subdivision for Chinook’s Edge School Division’s recently approved Kindergarten to Grade 8 school for 500 students. The area is bounded on the south by Beacon Hill Drive, on the west by Brookstone Drive and on the north by houses on Bowman Circle.
● granted permission for Friends of Sylvan Lake Library to erect up to four Free Little Libraries in public locations in Sylvan Lake.
The libraries operate on the concept of ‘take a book, return a book’. It’s a worldwide program started in 2009 in the United States. The ideas is an attempt to put books into the hands of all people at no cost, said information provided to council.
● accepted for information a progress report on the Corporate Tourism Strategy 2013-18. They also directed staff to “research potential locations, partnership opportunities and associated costs for purchasing and installing day mooring docks” prior to the 2015 budget process.
● extended thanks and presented a gift to Editor Steve Dills whose retirement from Sylvan Lake News and the newspaper industry takes place tomorrow (Aug. 22). He’s pursuing an opportunity in the oil and gas industry while continuing to live in Sylvan Lake.
● heard from Betty Osmond, the town’s chief administrative officer, that CN Rail has applied for Transport Canada funding and submitted a cost-sharing agreement to the town for upgrades to the 50th Street crossing. Upgrades include the addition of gates, a constant control signal and widening of the crossing to accommodate a sidewalk on the east side.
Automated garbage collection has begun on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Thursday collection to begin Aug. 14 and Friday collection on or about Sept. 5.
A request for proposals for Meadowview playground was scheduled for distribution Aug. 15. This redevelopment project will involve installation of a new play surface and revolutionary playground equipment.