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Council report: Arena ice-in date set back, $12k provincial taxes written off

The schedule for the arena and curling slab replacement project has been set back about three weeks due to permit delays and the discovery of asbestos-containing material under the bleachers.
The schedule for the arena and curling slab replacement project has been set back about three weeks due to permit delays and the discovery of asbestos-containing material under the bleachers. | File photo

Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]

Arena users keen to get back on the ice will have a few more weeks to wait.

Jasper Municipal Council heard at their regular meeting Sept. 15 that the schedule for the arena and curling slab replacement project has been set back about three weeks.

The new arena ice-in date is Nov. 30. 

Mark Fercho, chief administrative officer for the municipality, provided the update about the arena and curling rink, prepared by Gordon Hutton, buildings and asset manager.

He said the change is due to delays securing permits and the discovery of asbestos-containing material under the bleachers.

Also, it took a longer time than anticipated to flush the system due to residual high levels of chromium, and the removal of organic soils. However, no additional delays are expected.

Fercho noted the company doing the work, ProLogic, increased the number of shifts they're working to make up for lost time, at no cost to the municipality.

Also in the report, Fercho said the replacement of the Activity Centre arena lobby roof is being done by Knights Roofing, who started the project on Sept. 8 and are estimated to be completed the first week of October. 

The project will see the temporary removal of two rooftop units and the related building up of curbing, rerouting of gas, power, and control feeds. 

There will be an increase in insulation from a maximum two inches preconstruction to a maximum depth of ten inches when it's done. The new roof will be graded to eliminate standing water and prolong the roof lifecycle. A code-compliant fall restraint system will also be installed for worker protection.

Provincial taxes written off

Council grudgingly wrote off the remainder of property taxes owed by the Province of Alberta to the municipality on the provincial building, Jasper courthouse, in the amount of $11,854.71.

The original amount levied was $47,418.83 but the municipality received a letter from the province in January saying that they would only be approving a payment of 75 per cent of the taxation due to budget availability.

The letter, from Heather McDonald, manager of Grants in Place of Taxes, went on to say that for 2020/21 and future years, it was anticipated that most applications will be paid at about 50 per cent of the requested amount.

Mayor Richard Ireland said, "We would not tolerate this type of behaviour from any other taxpayer.

The Province of Alberta is in a position where they can choose to do that, and we can do nothing about it." 

On Mar. 18, on behalf of the municipality, Ireland responded to McDonald's letter from January, acknowledging that while the government faces "serious fiscal challenges", the municipality doesn't see a benefit to its taxpayers from a decision which transfers a reduction in the province's cost to an equal reduction in municipal revenue. 

Ireland also noted in the letter, "a fundamental principle of the provincial - municipal relationship has been breached", and "any savings your government may claim are purely illusionary: instead the costs have merely shifted to municipal taxpayers in a manner we find to be unprincipled, unfair and unsupportable." 

He invited the province to reconsider its decision.

Kaycee Madu, who was the municipal affairs minister at that time, responded in a letter that the reduction in the Grants in Place of Taxes program funding is aligned with the government's intent to reduce operating spending while maintaining a portion of the grant to contribute to the cost of municipal services to the province's properties that would otherwise be exempt from taxation.

There was a lengthy pause when it came to make the motion to write off the money after the discussion. 

"There is nothing that can be done about it," councillor Paul Butler said. "Under extreme duress, I'll make the motion." 

Councillor Scott Wilson opposed the motion. 

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