Quads and bridges were major topics of discussion at the April 2 session of Battleford town council.
While it was not meant to be a topic at the meeting, Battleford Mayor Chris Odishaw immediately brought up the subject of quads, mentioning that various individuals had complained to him at Battleford Furniture about the damage quads were doing to walking trails around the town.
"Finlayson island is getting ripped up, the riverbank is getting ripped up and we're seeing more and more quads again on main street, running up and down the avenue. I would hope that, one way or another, this council can work with the RCMP and do something about it," Odishaw explained.
Councillor Bill Halewich said he hoped the town could work with the province to create designated areas for quads. He described areas in Alberta where quad riders can "go have at 'er" without destroying areas more suited to walking trails.
The Town is not, ultimately, responsible for regulating quad activity. But the Town is given the responsibility of maintaining the river valley area, so it pledged to work with the RCMP to stop those quad users who damage local walking trails.
The discussion ended on an upbeat note, as the council noted it had an opportunity to turn a "negative into a positive" by creating areas specifically for quads. The areas could be a tourism draw and a revenue generator, while keeping other areas better maintained.
The town also received a letter from "the City of Prince Albert, the Prince Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, North Central Enterprise Region, the RMs of Prince Alberta and Buckland, Prince Albert Grand Council and other partners" asking council to provide "assistance in support of a new bridge for the region."
Specifically, the letter asked the Town of Battleford to pass a resolution stating that "the Town of Battleford endorses the efforts of the Build a Second Bridge Campaign Committee to gain provincial and gederal approval for the construction of a second bridge in the Prince Albert region and to establish a timeline for its construction and completion."
Council was ambivalent about the letter, with Odishaw mentioning immediately that Council has not written a letter of support in five years of work.
Councillor Garth Walls, who grew up in Prince Albert, explained how important a new bridge is, but did not commit to signing a letter of support. Discussion also centered around the importance of a second bridge for trucking routes that had to go through the area.
Council ultimately decided to pass the resolution provided by the Build a Second Bridge Campaign. For more information on the campaign, visit www.buildasecondbridge.com.
Councillor Susan McLean Tady also said the week of May 27 is "Stop the Violence Against Women Week."
Finally, The town approved lot prices for Battle Springs Cove. One property is valued at $59,900, two are valued at $64,900, one is valued at $74,900 and two are valued at $84,900. GST must be added to all prices.
