Councillors hear lengthy presentations in second-last meeting of the term
By COLLIN GALLANT on September 22, 2021.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant In the second-last meeting of the term, city councillors heard lengthy presentations Monday on the city’s new website as well as a run-through of 43 city projects paid for with federal and provincial grants. Council heard the changes to the site that debuted last week are part of a new “citizen facing digital strategy.” “The previous website was developed about 10 years ago and the technology and content was quite clunky,” said Coleen Graham, the city’s director of communications, who added much of the information is now ordered better for viewer’s ease. “We’re trying to look at it from the resident’s point of view.” In the update on the myriad construction projects undertaken as part of provincial and federal stimulus grant programs, council heard most are progressing as planned. Council also heard that 13 projects, worth $23-million in grants – in the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program, including the Athletic Park, upgrades at Echo Dale and building maintenance program – would no longer have a required completion date at the end of this year. It has been extended to the end of 2023. “It’s been just about a year since inception, but they are moving along,” said Joe Cartwright, the city’s director of project planning. In total, the slate of projects includes work at 43 separate sites and they range from the creation of the city’s new website to trail development, the creation of a third baseline shade canopy at Athletic Park and general maintenance at other facilities. Cartwright also said that one trail project has been expanded to include a boat launch near Fire Station No. 1 in the Riverside area. Council was also set to discuss the rapidly-concluding study on a parks and recreation study that could be due on Oct. 4. 12-11
