Ratepayers of the Town of Irricana

General Comments

This page is dedicated to your views on any matter pertaining to the Town.  Once again, please refrain from using abusive language.

DL

31 Comments

31 responses so far ↓

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Someone reported today that they have noticed and repaired two bullet holes in the roof of a garage in Irricana. The garage was not on the edge of Town. There were other structures near it.

    I am not sure if this was done around the same time that I got one through my roof or not.

    Perhaps others on this side of Town should inspect their roofs and siding for similar shots from a 303 rifle (or similar).

    DL

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 10:07 am

    Just to let you know, DL and EL have a lovely new grand-daughter , Grace Amelia, born Nov. 7th , at 530p.m.
    DL arrived in Grande Prairie in time for the arrival, and has lots of photos.
    EL

  • Glenda B // Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    Thanks Dave. I can now get the comments. And congratulations on the new arrival to your family.

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 9:02 am

    Please note the date and location of the AGM for the Irricana minor Ball has been changed to Dec. 7th at the Irricana Rec Centre. at 7 p,.m.

  • George Craft // Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 9:46 am

    I’m not liking this new website layout. The old one was much better.

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 10:00 am

    I changed it back George. I had received a call from someone else who has not been able to get on to the blog for over a week. They have a MAC and I wanted to see if the change would help.
    I have heard nothing from anyone else.

    DL

  • Glenda B. // Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 12:24 pm

    I wish to apologize for our error in this weeks Irricana Council Briefs in the paper. During editing a paragraph about Christmas in the Gateway ended up under the library head.

    It looks like Council had a concern about the handicapped access to the library which of course they don’t and implied that part of Christmas in the Gateway will be held at the Library which is also not right. Please read Shannon Woodwards article on pg. 12 of this weeks RockyView Weekly for the real scoop. My apologies for the error.

    Now, on another topic. My household buys its milk in cardbaord cartons which are now ‘deposit required.’ Okay, I get that. But they have to be washed out fairly thoroughly or they stink to the heavens.
    Water in this part of Alberta costs about $3.00 per sq. m. which is about .33 cents per litre (if my math is not flawed – never my best ability). So, I guess we need to be sure to wash them out in our bathwater if we are not going to completely defeat the purpose of saving the cartons to get our quarter back. Just my thoughts…certainly I don’t support tossing stuff in landfills that can be saved, but a quarter is a quarter. And from all appearances, water will cost even more next year. The hope was that Trochu and Three Hills would join our system and the extra customers would drive our prices down, but they have formed an agreement with ATCO to build their own treatment plant, so hope is fading.

    Thanks, Glenda

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    It appears that Irricana has been accepted as a full voting member of the Calgary Regional Partnership.

    (This from a reliable source)

    Now we can bring on the new business and development….
    DL

  • George Craft // Monday, November 30, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    RE: EMERGENCY ROUTE, I picked up a letter from the town in my mailbox today. It was dated November 17th but due to our new postal hours, this was the first chance that I had to retrieve the letter. Anyway, the letter is asking all of the folks on 6th Street and north along 2nd Street to keep their vehicles off the road as this is a new Emergency Route. I guess that the good news would be that my street will have better snow removal for emergencies. I moved to this town 5 years ago because it was a quiet little place where there were no sirens. I absolutely detest the sound of a siren. Now I have desert storm in my backyard from the new development and an Emergency Route for vehicles with sirens in my front yard. I’m starting to rethink about what I like about this town. Property Taxes used to be very low when I moved here. The water and town services used to be reasonable as well. My retirement is only a few years away and I am starting to think that maybe its time to move to one of the warm island destinations that I visit from time to time.

  • Leo // Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 12:46 am

    Our auction sale went great and I can finally attend to all the things that need doing at our Skyview B&B. If you want to check it out our web site is up, not all finished but up.
    http://www.skyviewinn.com
    Thx to Dave for the pix

  • Angry Out of Towner // Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 4:31 pm

    As a frequent visitor to this blog, I find humour in some posts and great information along with helpful ideas in others.

    However, after reading Mr. Craft’s ridiculous complaints about the new Emergency Routes and the fact that “sirens bother him” I am left speechless! Some people really have far too much idle time on their hands!

    Having been married to a dedicated firefighter for 45 years, I would like to enlighten Mr. Craft to the fact that the lights and sirens are mandated by the Alberta Highway Traffic Act and are in place to protect emergency responders as they are enroute to a call. I could go on how an Emergency Evacuation Route could save lives in the event of a disaster by ensuring access to otherwise blocked roads that are common place in Irricana and delay response times for EMS, Polce and Firefighters’ equipment.

    I could also mention that everytime families of emergency responders hear the sirens that so terribly disturb Mr. Craft, these people are praying that their loved ones will return home safely, however something tells me that none of this is as important as not “annoying or bothering” Mr. Craft’s peace of mind. Mr. Craft, when you find that utopia where emergency responders are never needed and disaster planning does not apply, please pass that location on to all. I’m sure these “islands” you love to tell us about would never have such a need!

    But, not to worry. The next time someone calls for help, you can go back to sleep knowing there are others who will always step forward to help.

    I can say with 100% conviction my family and I have slept well in the past knowing our emergency responders are only a phone call away and we will continue to sleep well in the future because of these dedicated men and women

    Good night and I hope you sleep well, Mr. Craft!

  • George Craft // Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 5:55 am

    Sheesh… A guy doesn’t like the sound of a siren and he gets trashed for it? What is the world coming to? I am speechless.

    I don’t know how many people work 12 hour graveyard shifts but until you have tried it and tried to get a decent days sleep, you will understand what lack of sleep does to a person, not to mention your social life. I made the mistake of living next to an Emergency Services area in Calgary and hence, I have grown to dislike the sound of the siren. I am quite sure that you would feel the same way, given the long graveyard shifts plus the wonderful commute back and forth to Irricana. There are days when I really should not be on the road. I get so tired that I often wonder how I even made it home. So, when you speak of idle time, I guess that maybe you know something that I don’t? Having a heated conversation on a blog really doesn’t achieve anything until we are able to walk in the other person’s shoes. I have a great respect for the Emergency Services. So, don’t get me wrong. It is the lack of sleep and the sound of the siren that don’t get along with each other.

  • A firefighter // Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    Hi George,

    Once while doing a presentation at an Open House on fire related topics, a small girl came up to me to ask if I was a real fire fighter, of course I said “yes I am” with a big smile and kneeled down to give her a plastic Chief Badge for her dress.

    She told me she had to tell me something, my mind was reeling, I didn’t know what she was going to tell me, I was prepared for the worst…

    What she said was “Every time we hear the fire trucks go by, my Mom makes me stop playing” I said “Oh no, but I’m sure your Mom makes you stop playing to make sure you’re safe and don’t get run over by the trucks”? She said “No” with this big smile on her face… “We stop playing and say a prayer for all the fire fighters on the trucks, that they’ll be safe”. I was stunned by the fact that someone would not only pray for us, but think enough of what we do and who we help to teach their children to do so as well. I know when our tones go off to call us out of bed in the middle of a blizzard that I too say a prayer for everyone’s safety.

    She was 4 or 5 years old and was so proud that the sound of a siren day or night would elicit a prayer from herself and her family, she couldn’t wait to tell the first fire fighter she saw!

    There are people out there who truly understand that the sirens mean help is on the way, and pray for that to be a successful event for everyone involved. I hear sirens totally differently now, from the ears of a little girl who’s praying every time she hears me in the fire truck. Please find some peace and know that your sleep is only disturbed for a few minutes, while someone else’s sleep could be changed for life.

  • Angry Out of Towner // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:12 am

    Gee, Mr. Craft – at least we have one thing in common – both speechless!

    Double standards in Irricana? You are able to say what you perceive as being accurate, authentic and correct but if someone dares to respond and disagree with you, they are accused of “trashing” you and initiating a “heated conversation on the blog.”

    As for “walking in your shoes”, trust me, Mr. Craft…I have! For 36 out of 45 years, my family and I lived with shift work. Supposedly you understand the many sacrifices…. not being together for Xmas dinner, Easter celebrations, Thanksgiving get togethers, birthday parties, the kids’ sporting events, graduations, etc. etc.

    At no time during these 36 years do I ever remember my family, friends or neighbors ever complaining about the noise of sirens disturbing their sleep. Yes, I have walked in your shoes as do the VOLUNTEER firefighters from Station 56 and all other First Responders. The dedicated men and women from Station 56 work at full time jobs yet still manage to respond to emergency calls day and night, and yes, their sleep is often disturbed. I have no doubt, like you, they are often tired and wiped out and have difficulty driving home after responding to an alarm.

    Many times the Hawks helicopter has hovered near my home and “disturbed” my sleep but how grateful I felt knowing somebody cared enough to be out in the middle of the night protecting me and my family. That’s what sirens mean to me–”help is on the way” and when I hear them I pray for those needing help and also for the safety of those responding.

    Can you seriously suggest, Mr. Craft, that you would “hate” sirens if they were responding to an emergency at your home involving you or your loved ones? I think not! Get real, Mr. Craft, or better yet, invest in a set of earplugs!

    Again, Mr. Craft…have a good sleep and rest assured that somebody else is looking after your back!

  • annoyed in-towner // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 9:41 am

    Geees mr angry out-of-towner. Give Mr Craft a break. How dare anyone disagree with you!!! Yes, hats off to the Fire department and the sacrifices they make to help in our time of need… but don’t ever forget, that maybe some day, if you are stranded on the side of the road, at -38 degree temps, waving for help, and Mr Craft was the only person driving by, he would “look after YOUR back.” Mr Craft invest in ear plugs? Maybe you invest in anger manangement classes.

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 10:32 am

    Hi George,
    Regarding the Emergency Route. I don’t recall getting the letter in the mail and I am on an emergency route also. (1st Ave)

    I don’t park on the street anyway, but did the letter say no parking at all even when it was not snowing?

    I often wonder why the parking on 6th is not changed, but vehicles would only be allowed on one side.

    This would allow traffic to flow quite well and allow the snow plows to move freely down the street. It probably would work for other side streets as well.

    The ones who can’t find a spot on the street may have to park in their driveways.

    DL

  • George Craft // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 6:22 pm

    The letter does not say absolutely no parking, it says to make an attempt to stay off the street, especially during the snow removal times. The part that triggered my nerves was the whole idea of once again living along the emergency route. I don’t want to get into a heated discussion over sirens but I used to hear them in Calgary with a very high frequency. Some days, it seemed like every 20 minutes there was yet another siren. In my mind, this meant high crime area or high accident area and I was becoming a walking zombie. I really had to move or I would soon become very violent. ‘Chopper John’ with his police helicopter used to like buzzing around over my home as well. I lived just off of Center Street North on 18th Avenue. When the Center street bridge was closed for repairs, things were much better but once it re-opened the noise levels started up again. Most days, I am lucky to get 4 hours of sleep, so it doesn’t take long to understand how sleep deprivation can set in.

    The trade off in my job is that I get 5 days off, every 5 days of work. I still work the same 40 hour week as everyone else, I just do it in 12 hour night shifts. Getting back to the land of the living takes a couple of days, so I really only get 2 to 3 days of regular daytime hours. This work schedule is slowly killing me but it pays well and retirement is a lot closer than it would be for most people. Vacations are great because with a work schedule like this, I actually end up with five 15day vacations per year. This is because I get 15days paid vacation plus the 10 stat days that I take when I want them and not when they occur. So, with 25 days of vacation and having a 5on/5off schedule, it doesn’t take creative accounting to realize that five 15day holidays is easily achieved. One of the perks of my occupation is that Air Travel is very affordable and in two more years, I qualify for ‘Lifetime Air Travel privileges’, so you can see the attraction to deal with the long hours for a bit longer.

  • Sue // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    We got the letter today in the mail regarding the emergency route. I for one hope one day people will actually park in their driveways and perhaps in their garages or in their back park spaces rather than on 6th street. What a crazy thought, actually parking in a space created for you to do so, and not on the road.

    Speaking of crazy again-why, why, why???? Can people NOT clean their sidewalks of snow? It has not snowed in 4 days yet 4 houses along 6th and 2 others along my running route are NOT cleaned off and no attempt has been made to do so. The silly thing is I know for a fact 3 out of the 4 houses I know they are able bodied individuals. For goodness sakes it takes 15-20 minutes of your life to clean your walk. Oh wait I can hardly wait for this new dump of snow to come so they have a different excuse for it NOT being done.

    And before someone jumps all over me for not being a good neighbor I do the sidewalk of both my immediate neighbors and do others near my house if necessary. Sorry I am not taking a shovel with me on my runs so that I can be a good Irricanite-not going to happen. I would like to be able to go for a 10km without the fear of wiping out on a sidewalk clustered with snow.

    ps I am calling the town tomorrow before the snow fall and reporting them. These are cronic snowleavers and I am not going to wait any longer nor am I going to just complain, I am going to do something about this PROBLEM and yes it is a problem.

  • Sue // Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:18 pm

    On a final note to go with my previous rant… a big thanks to the majority of the people that get their sidewalks cleaned in a timely manner. I and anyone else who walks their dogs, runs or just uses the sidewalk thank you immensely for being responsible home owners/renters. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  • Laura // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    I can’t really understand what all the fuss is about with this new emergency route…when was the last time the Fire Department used 6th Street as a means to leave town anyway? I’ve never seen them come down this way and I also live on 6th.

    I do park in my driveway, so leaving vehicles on the street would never be a problem, but the neighbours who consistently park across the street from their house in front of mine, thereby leaving absolutley no guest parking streetside may have an issue…

  • John McMurray // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:08 pm

    Kathyrn received subdivision approval. Does Irricana have any options to appeal to the Municipal Government Board? Most people think Kathyrn development will be a serious blow to Irricana’s future.

  • Judy // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    Sue and Laura,

    I couldn’t agree with you both more, well said! The emergency route is for everyone!!! It’s not a route for Fire Department use, you’re right Laura we don’t typically use 6th street to exit town, it wouldn’t take us out of town from the Station.

    Disaster services along with council decided that if a big emergency should happen (god forbid) it would make sense to have a route marked for people to exit the town, one that was maintained first and foremost. It would also help our school buses leave with our kids on board, without hazard. That means it will be plowed first and maintained first. Not a bad place to live I’m thinking!

    I simply don’t understand why everyone is so upset, this seems to be forward thinking. A safe route for the people of Irricana to access in case of emergency, it involves some bright yellow signs and snow clearing, deceptively simple!

  • Irricana Ratepayers // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:34 pm

    Hi John,

    As far as I can see, the Town has not voiced any concern in the past about the Kathyrn Hamlet site, so why would they now.

    It appears that we will have to see what impact that this future large community, with a school, will have on our Town.

    I believe it will be fairly negative unless we can get our developers to start their projects this spring. That may help.

    I am trying to think positively, but it is difficult.

    DL

  • Steve White // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    If I recall correctly, the previous mayor and the development officer made a pitch of our concerns about a year or ago. But frankly I don’t think they gave a hoot, I am trying to be polite

  • Development Officer // Friday, December 4, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    You are correct, Steve. The Town of Irricana made their concerns known through the contracted planner and myself with Council’s approval and representation to the (MD)County regarding the negative impacts that a Kathyrn hamlet “revitalization” would have on Irricana.

  • Walk A Mile // Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 12:55 am

    Wow Mr. Craft, Thanks for sharing all the details of your life. I guess you are the only person who ever worked shift work 0r put in long hours.Just think of all the free time you will have to volunteer for the many ideas you post on this blog when you retire! Hope it doesn’t get too noisy for you when that day comes.

  • Axel // Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    My wife and I were talking to our friends in Calgary today, all of which have their cars stuck in snowbanks along various residential streets through out the city, due to their streets not having been plowed at all yet.
    And with that, I want to thank sincerely our snowplowing team, here in our Town, who were mobilized and worked tirelessly to keep our streets passable. Great job done! Thanks so much.
    A.

  • Fire fighters Food bank drive a success! // Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    Wow!! did the Town of Irricana ever step up and donate food for the fire fighter food bank drive this year!

    Despite the -29 temp today the fire fighters headed out door to door to collect as much food as they could to stock the depleted food bank. They easily collected as much as last year and had several donations to the foodbank totalling $780.00 which was matched by Station 56 donating another $780.00 a total of $1560.00 raised!

    Thank you Irricana Residents for your very generous donations… enabling those in need to have a very Merry Christmas!!

  • Laura // Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    Thanks for your comments Judy…they certainly clarify the use of the Emergency Route.

    I am a little confused though about why they chose to plow 6th in the manner they did. How on earth can plowing down one side, then turning around and plowing the other side, only to leave all the snow piled right smack in the middle of the road be an effective way to clear the street? And it was left this way all weekend…

    As Judy stated, this is a route used by the school busses everyday, so this method does not seem to me to be the safest option.

  • Rural Resident // Monday, December 7, 2009 at 1:55 pm

    Another well done job by Irricana’s Firefighters Sunday past. Brutally cold temps & many impassable sidewalks didn’t slow down their commitment to this years Food Bank Drive. With such a high quality of dedicated people volunteering in Irricana, it does the town proud!Thanks to all involved!

  • Steve White // Monday, December 7, 2009 at 3:15 pm

    Hi Laura, Plowing the streets in the manner that it was done is the best way and probably the safest. It is done this way to make them passable for people on both sides of the street. Done any other way,unless there is snowblowers and a line of trucks to take the snow away,wuld only block in one side of the street.
    To get to the other side, a person merely has to go to a roundabout as I call them and go down the other side.
    I took a drive around on Satureday afternoon in the car with (FWD and winter tires) and had no problem getting around.
    At lot of the problem who refuse to park in there driveways when snow removal is going on. This creats a hinderance for the snow removel crew.
    On another note, I know the public works guys were out a couple of times early friday morning as I saw them go down my street around 3:ooam .
    Frankly I think they did a great job, keeping all steets passable especially for the emergencey vehicles unlike in Calgary where they still have streets that are not passable.

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