Honoured

Last Monday night, just before we convened our July Council Meeting, I was most honoured to be presented with a Senator's Contribution Award!

The award was presented to me through the office of the Honourable Doug Black, Q.C., an Alberta Senator.  I was very pleased and honoured to accept this award.  My wife and I have always enjoyed volunteering.  It is one way we can give back to the community we enjoy living in so much!

Thank you to our CAO Jo Lambert and our village staff for nominating me for this most appreciated award.  To be sure, our volunteer efforts will continue after I retire from Council this fall.

Sad News About Stage East

It is with much sadness that I must report that the Stage East Dinner Theatre Society has cancelled this year's performances.

The reason is quite simple; we just don't have enough people to put on a production this year.  We have lost some of our major cast members and with no one to replace them, we can't continue again this year.

Stage East was started more than thirty years ago to raise funds to save and restore the last remaining station building in Beiseker.  We were successful in raising enough to save the building which now serves as the Beiseker Village Office and the Station Museum!  It was started up again in 2005 to celebrate Alberta's 100th Birthday.   Since then we have donated funds to many community groups and projects but over the last few we've supported improvements to our community hall.

The Stage East Dinner Theatre Society will continue on.  It is an active society and is registered.  We will continue meeting on a regular basis.

It has been suggested that we hold a theatre workshop in the fall, to show people how much fun theatre and Stage East can be.  We are planning to have a full production in the fall of 2018!

April 6th Water Line Break

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 6, our Fire Department was testing various fire hydrants in the village.  While being tested, the valve on one of the hydrants at the corner of Main Street and Fourth Avenue began leaking quite considerably. 

The village water supply was shut off, the valve was excavated and replaced.  The water lines were flushed during the night as water pressure was resumed.  Provincial regulations dictated that we issue a boil water notice for a specified length of time after the water was opened to replace the valve. 

The water was tested and the boil water notice was lifted Sunday afternoon.

There is no good time for a major water main break, but for me these last few days was really bad timing:  I was doing my part as a volunteer at the Calgary Stampede Aggie Days! 

Fortunately, we have an extremely competent Public Works staff and Gail at the office who took charge and dealt with the issue at hand!  They got it done and answered questions!  My thanks to those hard working folks.  I also want to thank everyone in the Village for your patience and understanding during this past weekend.

Bullying in Our Village

I'm sure most of you are now aware of that hateful web page that was written anonymously about our little village, and then shared on Facebook.   I regard that page as straightforward bullying!   I felt very badly for those folks singled out for that undeserved wrath on that page!

I will not respond to any of those comments and allegations because they do not deserve a response.  But I was most offended by the venom directed  at our Village office staff and Public Works who work very hard to make our village the best it can be.  I have seen these folks work many hours of unpaid overtime, work all night, or get up from a Sunday family dinner to address a concern within the village.

Their work to improve this little village is very dependent on finances and resources available.  I admire their enthusiasm and dedication!  These are not the people to be bullied for the work that they do -- not that any person should be bullied!

This is all I'm going to say on this - so I've asked my son to close comments on this post.

I'm Disappointed

I'm admittedly disappointed that our newly elected councilor, Nikki King, has been called away on a business trip and will not be able to attend the Spring Town Hall Meeting to be sworn in.

I was hoping to see a tiny bit of Beiseker history made this coming Monday!  As far as I can tell, it would be the very first time in Beiseker history that a councilor would be sworn in at an open public meeting.

Oh well, we'll have to have the brief ceremony at our next regular council meeting to be held on Monday, May 9 in our council chamber at the Village Office.  You are all most welcome to come and observe the ceremony there, although seating will be very limited.

Boil Water Notice Lifted in Beiseker

As of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7 our Boil Water Notice for Beiseker has been lifted!  Alberta Health is asking us to flush our own lines before we drink the water.  That simply means we are supposed to run our taps for up to five minutes before we drink. 

We did good.  Our community pulled through and we survived this calamity with flying colours!  Well done Beiseker!  Thanks again for your help and patience.

Verbal Abuse of Village Staff

While keeping Beiseker residents informed about our water main break last week, I felt I had to include a statement on my blog that verbal abuse over the telephone would not be tolerated.  Some of you have asked me why I included that statement.

Unfortunately, it's because a few Beiseker citizens decided to take out their frustration on having no water out on our village staff!  Swearing and name calling directed at our office staff did not help fix the water line.   This was totally uncalled for and totally out of line!

Everyone on staff was working hard to make the impact of have no running water as little as possible.  Most got little or no sleep that night as they desperately tried to have water pressure in the village by Friday morning.  They succeeded!  But they did not need to hear a slurry of profanity from a few residents!  It wasn't their fault!

It is unlikely that those few verbal abusers will apologize for their behavior, so I'll do it for them!

To the Beiseker Village staff;  I do apologize for the behavior of a few Beiseker residents.  I realize the village staff was working as hard as they could to make better the situation.  It was out-of-line and I hope it does not happen again.  Sorry!

Water Main Break - Final Report

I have just returned from the site of our major water main break.  All repairs have been successfully accomplished and they are now filling in the hole.  I imagine that the barriers will remain up around the site over the weekend, to allow the fill material to settle.

Albert and our Public Works Team will finish the road repairs next week.  The water is ON!

The boil water advisory has been extended until Tuesday, October 6, 2015 by Alberta Environment and Alberta Health.  This is a precaution we are happy to abide by. 

You may notice a slight increase in the chlorine smell of your tap water over the next couple of days.  Again this is a precaution to make sure our water stays safe.

A few huge thank-yous need to be mentioned.  Thank you to:

• Albert and his Public Works Team for working so hard over the past 18 hours.
• The hydro vac truck and the track hoe operator for working there all night.
• The residents in those homes around 9th Street and 4th Avenue who had to put up with all that noise all night long.
• The Village Office staff who fielded all those calls from concerned residents.
• The residents who handled this inconvenience in stride and with so much patience.

We'll be doing a de-brief over the next while to make sure we'll be able to handle the next incident like this (when and if it comes) even better.

First Avenue Railway Crossing

photo by Mathieu Tremblay, via Flickr

Many of you have expressed concern over the condition of the railway crossing on First Ave.,past the Public Works Compound.

The crossing itself was upgraded a while back but the pavement leading up to it on both sides had to be removed.  The railway has informed us that they will soon have a crew in the area to repair and repave those small sections of road at all of those crossing upgrades.  They haven't given us a timeline for that to happen, but right now it's pretty bad there!

The Village Office will contact CN Rail today and tell them of our concerns.

As for the rest of that road from the Public Works Compound to that CNR crossing, council is examining our options.  Totally rebuilding that road would be cost prohibitive.  It has been suggested that we simply close that road and rely on our other entrances and exits into town.

I think both of those options are out of the question.  There must be a way to resurface that road without it costing the village much of its street repairs budget.  The pipeline company has agreed to help out where their crossing is.

If you have an opinion or a suggestion, contact the Beiseker Village Office at 403-947-3774.

What's Killing our Trees?

Many have noticed that several of the beautiful big poplar trees between Beacon Heights and North Road are sick and/or dying. The problem started a couple of years ago at the east end  and has proceeded West at an alarming rate.

The Village of Beiseker has recently taken steps to find out why these trees are dying.  I was totally shocked when preliminary soil tests revealed a high concentration of chemicals in the ground killing the trees!  How the chemicals got there is a mystery. More testing will be done to pinpoint the concentrations and hopefully track down their source.

I'm having trouble believing that anyone would purposefully poison these poplar trees but I must consider all possibilities.  I'm hoping it was some kind of an innocent accident.  If you can shed any light on this mystery please contact the Beiseker Village Office at 403-947-3774.

Where to Go, When You Have to Go!

If you've been following the Village of Beiseker's Facebook page, you might have seen that Beiseker is taking heat for one business refusing to allow visitors to use their washroom facilities.  One business is again being singled out repeatedly, as being rude and obnoxious to visitors wanting to use the washrooms. 

I've addressed this problem once before in this blog, but obviously it still persists.  Every summer, we get numerous complaints from folks who ultimately vow never to visit Beiseker again.  This latest complaint will probably be the first of many this year.

I don't have the answer for this problem.  Business owners have the right to dictate how their property is operated.  They have the right to limit washroom use to customers only.  But I believe that all of Beiseker suffers, as more and more comments about our "Unfriendly Village" pop up on social media and by word of mouth. 

We already have a public washroom at the Beiseker Campground.  A solution may be to build a another public washroom facility in Legacy Park, next to the Village Office.  That would be expensive and it would have to be cleaned and maintained by the Village throughout the year.  During the summer, we place a portable latrine behind the Information Booth in Legacy Park for "emergencies". 

Visitors may also use the washrooms at the Village Office during office hours.

But I wonder - is that all we can do?

Potholes!

The streets of our village have been plagued with potholes and frost boils every spring, but this year it's particularly bad!  Thank you to those who have informed me and the Village Office about many of the problem areas. 

Frost boils are caused by too much water under the roadway, making the surface layers very soft.  We can either barricade them off and let them firm up as the water table goes down, or we can dig up the area, put in new material and pack it well.  Obviously the first choice is the cheapest.  Each soft frost boil area will be assessed and dealt with over the next few weeks.

Potholes are caused by somewhat similar circumstances but usually affect the top layers in a small area.  I think I've been informed about every pothole within the village limits.  Some have been filled with a sand, gravel and tar mix called "cold mix," while others will have to wait until our streets are swept clean during the first week of June. 

After the streets are swept the remaining potholes will be repaired.  One of the areas of big concern is at the corner of North Road and First Avenue.  That area will be attended to during that first week of June. 

If you see another pothole or frost boil which seems to have missed our scrutiny, please report it to the Village of Beiseker Office, by calling 403-947-3774!

Thank you very much for you patience.

Give From the Heart Radiothon

Once again I had the pleasure of visiting the good folks over at AIR 106.1 FM radio station in Airdrie, yesterday.  We were promoting the Community Links program through their Give From the Heart Radiothon. 

As you know, the Community Links program has a branch office over here in Beiseker.  It's located in our new Community Services Building at the corner of Fifth Street and Third Avenue, along with the Playschool and the Library.

It's open two days a week (Tuesday and Friday) from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The programs they offer there are amazing!  They can provide help and support for those who need it.  And if they can't help you on the spot, they'll find out who can and get you connected.  If you're dealing with an issue and you're looking for solutions or you want to learn more about something that's affecting you, or maybe just need someone to talk to, Community Links is your place!  Drop in and get a publication called CONNECTING with a description of all their programs. 

By the way, that same publication is available at the Beiseker Village Office. I think you'll be amazed at the things they do over there!

Each year Community Links and AIR 106.1 FM holds a telethon to raise money to help insure the wonderful work they're doing keeps going. 

I had two other meetings that day, so I had to bug out mid-morning, but they were already coming in on $10,000 pledged so far!  I'll let you know what the grand total was when I find out.  If you missed the Telethon, drop off your donation at the Community Links branch here in Beiseker or you can donate online through Canada Helps.  Remember; many small donations yields a huge success!

Operation Secret Santa Begins in Beiseker

The Beiseker Fire Department is once again doing its Operation Secret Santa this Christmas!   If you wish to donate an unwrapped gift, perhaps a toy, a board game, or other gift item, you'll find the Secret Santa Drop Off Boxes at Mountain View Credit Union; Beiseker Branch, Beiseker Pharmacy, Beiseker Home Hardware, and the Beiseker Village Office.

The hope is that Santa Claus, with help from the Beiseker Fire Department, will be able to make everyone's Christmas in Beiseker just that much more merrier!

Thank you for your donations and Merry Christmas to you all.

Pedestrian Bridge Vandalism

As part of our drainage channel upgrades, we are rebuilding the three bridges connecting the East and West sides of Beiseker.  We are starting with the two at the north end of the drainage channel. 

With the high volume of water moving down that drainage channel, it became necessary to raise those pedestrian bridges and strengthen their foundation footings.   Preparations were started on Monday, with the installation of concrete footings for the two bridges.

Unfortunately, after the work was completed yesterday morning, some unidentified people damaged some of the footings before the concrete was completely cured.  They will have to be excavated out of there, and redone before work can continue!  This extra work will cause a delay in the construction of the bridges and take more funds from our already meagre project budget. 

Those responsible for the vandalism need to understand that their actions jeopardized the completion of the project this fall.   I would like to know who they are!

 If you know anything about the damage done to the pedestrian bridge footings behind the Dynagra complex, please phone the Village Office (403-947-3774), the Beiseker RCMP (403-947-3496), or the Calgary-area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. 

Weeds and Potholes!

A number of residents have asked me when Public Works going to mow down the weeds in the back lanes throughout Beiseker.  I know we have done this in the past, but it is actually the responsibility of the home owners to keep the weeds down both on the public reserve in front of their homes, and the area behind their back fence next to the lane. 

We have completely discontinued the weed-whacking services in those areas to save some money.  We are asking everyone to take care of those areas themselves.

We have been working on filling the over abundance of potholes this summer - experts are telling us the brutal winter caused most of them.  If you spot a pothole which has been missed by our Public Works, please report its location to the Village Office (403-947-3774) and they'll put it on their list!

Weed Spraying!

Some of you have voiced concerns over the Village's weed spraying these last couple of days.  The concerns were posted on various social media sites, but none were communicated to the Village Office! 

If you have a concern about something happening in the Village, please communicate that concern to the Beiseker Village Office by calling 403-947-3774.

In the meantime, I am checking into our procedures regarding herbicide spraying in the Village. 

Bassano Station and the old School Playground

photo courtesy of the Rocky View Weekly

The Bassano Station fiasco appears to be waning!  

It looks like the railway museum group which started the project is less than active at this point in time.  But other parties with a vested interest in completing the project are stepping up to the plate! 

If all goes well, the building will be moved onto its foundation within the next few weeks.  After that has happened, the building will be made more presentable, secure, and weatherproof until more funding is obtained.

When the plan was presented to me I thought back to our very own Beiseker CPR station, now our Village Office and Museum, and its history.  The Village was given the station by the CPR on the condition that we move it from the track right-of-way.  We built a foundation, turned the building around, placed it on the foundation and made it more presentable, secure and weatherproof until more funding could be found.  It sat on its new foundation, its windows boarded up and painted white, waiting for quite a while! 

The necessary money was found (partly through the efforts of the original theatre group called Stage East) and the building was restored to as you see it today.  I hope the Bassano Station will see a similar future.

The old School Playground will become village property in the next few days.  The village is making plans to have it dismantled and removed from the school yard. 

Initial examination shows that most of the structure is in excellent condition, but wood portions will have to be replaced.  The parts of the stucture will be taken down to our public works yard where it will be cleaned and repaired. 

Council is asking for suggestions on where this piece of equipment might be re-installed.  If you have any suggestions, make them to the Beiseker Village Office (403-947-3774) or here to me, through email or by using the Contact Form on the right side. 

We are looking for volunteers to help disassemble and relocate the structure.  If you can help us here, let Councillor Warren Wise know through the Village office.

Clean Up Day in Beiseker!

Saturday, May 10 is Clean Up Day in Beiseker.  It's the time when we pick up all that which the ice and snow left behind.  

If you wish to take on an assigned area, check in at the Village Office and they'll give you an area of the village to clean up.  They'll also have supplies for you there. 

If you want to help out a little less formally, please help pick up in the public areas around your home or in your child's playground.  Every little bit helps! 

I'm taking my wife to a re-scheduled appointment in Calgary tomorrow morning but I hope to be back to help out in the afternoon. 

Thank you in advance for making Beiseker just that much better a place to live!

Village Office Flag

Many of you noticed that the flag in front of the Beiseker Village Office was flying at half mast Wednesday morning.  Usually, our flag is lowered to honour a local resident who has passed away.  Such was not the case today.

March 14, 2014, marks the end of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.  Our Canadian Flag, along with many others across the country, was lowered this morning to pay tribute and honour those Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan over the past 14 years.  It was raised to full mast in the afternoon to welcome home the thousands of Canadian soldiers who spent time, there.

The jury is still out as to whether our mission there really did what we wanted it to do.  We did build schools and health clinics which catered to girls as well as boys.  We built irrigation projects and opened up roads.  They tell us that the Taliban is less strong than it was.

Only time will tell if we were successful in our mission there.  In the meantime, I think it's important that we recognise the sacrifice made by our soldiers over there.  We must also realise that we have to provide the best care and services possible for our new crop of war veterans.