I Want To

Apply for

A Building Permit A Burning Permit A Business Licence Community Funding & Support A Development Permit A Dog Licence A Municipal Job

View

Budget & Taxes Bylaws Council Information Garbage Collection Calendar Official Community Plan Online Property Tax Account Recreation Schedules & Programs Reports, Strategies & Plans

Contact

Council or Staff Emergency Services Hospitals & Clinics Report a Problem or Request Service Social & Community Services Submit an Event

Pay for

Parking Tickets Property Taxes Municipal Services Municipal Tickets & Fines Utilities

Town Hall Meeting

Did you miss the Town Hall Meeting? Catch up with the discussion topics below or watch the full meeting on our Facebook page here.

Establishing a long-term vision and strategic plan for the District of Sparwood is a top priority for Council. In November 2022 Council undertook a strategic planning session to develop priorities while being mindful of District resources available. This four-year strategic plan lays our priorities and demonstrates how we plan to lead the organization.

Three strategic themes emerged as focus areas:

  • Community Lifestyle
  • Community Growth
  • Economic Diversity

Short-term priorities, or as we call them the NOW priorities are the focus of our Strategic Priorities Chart, as shown on the display board.

The top 5 priorities are:

  • Westwood Development
  • Community Engagement Protocol
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • Fire Hall #2
  • RCMP Building

The Chart is updated quarterly, and as NOW item get completed, next priorities get moved up the list. Please take some time to have a look at the Strategic Priorities Report that is available.

Council is pleased to provide an update on the Centennial Plaza Project, which has been made possible through a partnership grant funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of BC, Columbia Basin Trust and Teck Resources.

The project has been in the works since 2018 with early conceptual work followed by pre-design in 2019, and public consultations in 2019&2020 that resulted in a final concept design approved by council on March 16, 2021. Construction of the project began in 2022, and it is expected to be completed in June 2023.

The Centennial Plaza Project includes a streetscape development, water line extension for improved fire protection and pressure, and the repaving of Centennial Street in 2022. The plaza features a direct walkway from the business frontage to the stairway crossing at Red Cedar Drive and Centennial Street leading into a new wider paved pathway connecting school pathways at two locations.

The new park area will provide increased accessibility and seating for residents and visitors to enjoy. The plaza also serves as an inviting space for various events such as coal miner days, and the space has increased lighting, a permanent gas fire pit, increased seating, and planters.

Additionally, further planning is underway for a creative hub which will include a staging area for the creative arts including bathroom facilities and storage.

The large open lawn space will provide picnic tables and open space for lawn chairs during creative staged events and other event spacing including a walking pathway to the church. The Centennial Plaza Project is a functional year-round gathering area that incorporates elements of a natural landscape that creates a welcoming and relaxing space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

We look forward to seeing you at the grand opening of the Centennial Plaza Project. 

The Hot Tub replacement project will modernize a portion of the aquatic facility while achieving improved accessibility.  The new hot tub will be fully accessible with barrier free design and will be capable of accommodating 20-25 occupants. This project will include replacement of some existing pool deck tile that has become slippery from extensive use over the life of the facility.  While the hot tub replacement is taking place, the District is reviewing options to replace the rest of the pool deck tile during this project. Safety improvements is a top priority to reduce risk of injury and related liability.   The Hot Tub Replacement project was approved as a 2022 capital project and has been carried forward into the 2023 – 2027 Capital Plan.  MPE was retained by the District of Sparwood to develop a design plan, tender specifications and coordinate the tender process.  Link Builders is the successful bidder with the project planned to start June 5, 2023 and estimated to be completed by September 7, 2023. The project value for the hot tub replacement is $642,562.19 including PST and contingency.

While the hot tub is being replaced the pool and aquatics area will also  be closed. The remainder of the Leisure Centre facility will be open and dryland programming will continue as usual.

Council is pleased to bring you updates on our paved pathway project that was started in the summer of 2022 and will be completed this summer. 

This project will add 1.7 km of trails to our expanding active transportation network, connecting our community and providing alternative options to gas-powered motorized vehicles. We’re proud to have initiated this project with the assistance of BC government through the Active Transportation grant program. These pathways ultimately remove two key gaps in our active transportation network. 

The first, Ponderosa Drive Pathway, will provide a safe walkway along Ponderosa Drive, from Carbonado Court to the Whiskey Jack entrance. This path is located along a busy through-way for local vehicular traffic. By installing this pathway, we aim to encourage active transportation and remove pedestrians from the sides of the road, increasing accessibility and safety for all users. This pathway is located near local churches, ball fields, and the multi-purpose pad, making it convenient for users who access these facilities and services.

The Michel Creek Pathway is the second component to the project, providing safe access to the Michel cemetery and Spardell by getting pedestrians off the industrial road and away from heavy traffic. Crosswalk lights will be installed at industrial road 2 on Michel Creek Road to ensure the safety of all users.

Overall, the benefits of the Active Transportation project to our community are clear.

By providing alternative options for transportation, we can reduce congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, these pathways will be maintained year-round, making them accessible to pedestrians, mobility scooters, electric bikes, and strollers. We’re also pleased to note that routes were chosen to reduce the amount of tree removal and lower the impact on wildlife habitat.

The District’s pavement plan is on a two-year cycle of planning and construction, with 2023 being a planning year, other road and pavement improvements will continue in various areas around Sparwood in 2024.

Future locations for paving are based on various factors such as: Road report (ground penetration radar to assess conditions of the roads), actual conditions post winter thaw (major settlement), upcoming planned projects in the area (savings on combined work if it makes sense to do so) and actual capacity/usage of the road (local road vs arterial/highway road, heavy truck traffic, total traffic).

For 2023, planning and design for 2024 areas will begin, this is to include portions of Douglas Fir Road.

In addition, a few key service locations are expected to be addressed in 2023, such as major settlement areas that requires attention.

Both staff and Council have been lobbying the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure to address traffic issues on the provincial highways within the municipal boundaries, mainly targeting two key areas. The District has asked for a controlled pedestrian crossing at Michel Creek road and highway 43 and to have traffic control lights installed at Pine Avenue and Highway 3, the intersection at Kal-Tire.

 MOTI, met with District staff and council and heard the requests and eventually responded after a warrant review. The Ministry bases their decisions on traffic data & pedestrian counts, visibility, speed limits and alternative route consideration, which all are out of the District’s jurisdiction.  Both locations do not fit the requirements based on their warrant information for those locations, meaning the traffic numbers were far below what is considered necessary to respond.

 However, the District is still working with MOTI and exploring other options. The District will continue again in the summer with data counts and continue to put pressure on the province. The District may have to consider a joint project with the Ministry in coordination with a grant application to proceed with these traffic control improvements. 

Council is pleased to announce that we have received, so far, a total of $8,431,300 in grants to invest in the District’s wastewater treatment plant upgrades over the next 5 years.

Phase one of the project entails the replacement of the oxidation ditch with sequencing batch reactors. This is an improved technology that will meet the redundancy requirements of the Municipal Wastewater regulation and can be developed at a cost close to half the cost of two oxidation ditches.

The total project cost of phase one is estimated at $5.145 million which will be funded through a combination of grants, borrowing, developer agreements, and sewer reserve funding.  The District received $2,575,000 from the Federal Rural and Northern Communities Program covering 50% of the phase one project proposal estimate.  These upgrades will meet the growing capacity demands of the community to accommodate increased flow rates and limit inadequate effluent from entering the Elk River.

Phase two of the upgrades will include the construction of an equalization tank, a grit removal facility, a phosphorous removal process, the replacement of the emergency generator, and other related civil, mechanical, electrical, and control works. The estimated total cost of the project is $5,856,300.00, and the District received a grant for 100% of the cost from the Union of Canada Community Building Fund that was just announced on April 17th, 2023.

The upgrades will provide longer term capacity to incorporate inflow and infiltration that can enter the sanitary sewer system. The proposed upgrades are proven technologies and commonly used in wastewater treatment plants across Canada, and by using the existing footprint of the wastewater treatment plant, the cost of the upgrades are significantly minimized.

In summary, the District of Sparwood WWTP Upgrades project is an essential investment in the environmental sustainability of the Elk and Columbia Rivers and will provide the treatment needs of the community for years to come. The proposed upgrades will improve effluent quality, comply with regulatory requirements, and increase the plant’s capacity to accommodate growing sewage volumes. These upgrades will save the District resources otherwise spent on maintaining failing components of the current oxidation ditch and will make the plant more efficient and sustainable for the foreseeable future.

The District has issued development permits for several significant developments expected to be underway in 2023 these are:

  • 2202 Middletown Place – Teck/ Elk Valley Resources Main Office
    • This is a roughly 11,000m2 (120,000ft2) Office Building. The building conforms to the District’s Form and Character regulations in the Official Community Plan.
    • A Building Permit Application is expected in May with mobilization on the site expected around the same time
  • 2100 Middletown Place – Quick Serve Restaurant, Gas Station and Convenience Store (McDonalds & Canco)
    • This development is composed of two buildings at opposite ends of the site. The proposed McDonalds is on the western side of the site and the Canco Gas Station and Convenience Store on the east with parking and gas pumps in the middle.
    • The District is reviewing a Development Variance Permit for the McDonalds to reduce the required parking to 41 stalls and a Building Permit is already under review.
    • A Building Permit Application for the Canco is expected later this year.
  • 101 Red Cedar – Greenwood Mall Façade Improvements
    • An exterior façade change to the north end of the mall has been approved through a Development Permit and a Building Permit has been issued for this work.

Asset Management

The goal to bring asset management at this town hall meeting is to bring public awareness of the importance of asset management and long-term financial planning. Establishing a long-term vision for the District of Sparwood is a top priority for Council.

 It’s important to understand the trade-off between risk, level of service and funding levels. Furthermore, considering the impact of funding decisions made toady while have on the future.

 Asset Management plays an important role in doing so.

 Asset Management:

1.        Ensures that current and future community services needs are met

2.        Supports delivery of municipal services in a socially, environmentally, and economically responsible way

3.        Reflects a balance of trade-offs between available resources and desired services

4.        Helps prevent the need for large, one-off tax increases and encourages consistent tax increases

5.        Helps you leave your community better than you found it and ensures future generations can enjoy the same quality of infrastructure you enjoy today.

 Currently, the District is focused on identifying the average annual replacement budget required to meet future risk and level of service targets. The asset replacement funding informs the funding levels in the District 5-year financial and capital plan. Additionally, the District is working with asset management consultants to finalise a long-term asset replacement financial strategy. The District received funding through grants which covers approximately %50 of the consultants cost per year (~$15k).

 To summarize the overall assets, the District is doing a great job at maintaining infrastructure to date and has low taxes in comparison to other regional government bodies. Parcel taxes and grants are the typical main funding sources for asset replacement.

We have all been impacted by supply chain or labour shortages since the pandemic. These disruptions have been observed in various departments and projects across the District. This can be recognized in things such as delays in receiving necessary parts to fix the hot tub, or project delays due to labour or material shortages.

While these issues are frustrating for Council, Staff and the public, they are outside of our control. We thank and appreciate patience and understanding from residents as we continue to do our best to manage these issues and remain flexible to change.

Like many others, The District of Sparwood has not been without staffing challenges. The struggle of recruitment is intensified in our community by a tight housing market and the simple fact that the municipality cannot compete with the wages of the Valley’s biggest employer Teck.

Over the past couple of years, 17% percent of our permanent workforce retired. Each retirement generally resulted in two to three additional job postings as current employees often moved into the vacancies. Despite the challenges, and thanks to dedicated staff the municipality has had very few facility closures and minimal impacts to services.

Council will be exploring options on how mitigate or reduce recruitment challenges.

Post Date: May 14, 2023   |   Category: News & Updates Send Notification