Users of Midland Provincial Park are asked to be aware of wildlife.
This comes after a cougar was sighted last week in the park near the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
     Gerry Bennett, acting area manager for Alberta Environment and Parks says Museum employees caught sight of the cougar on March 24 while they were jogging. Bennett says it is not uncommon for wildlife to be in the area.
“Cougars are animals that live in Alberta and you will run across them where the habitat is suitable,” said Bennett. “It just so happens the Red Deer River Valley is a suitable habitat and you can expect to see them. Now that we have, we just want people to be aware.”
He explains that when the cougar caught sight of the joggers, it bolted, which is how he hopes they would typically behave.
    “Given there is an ample natural food source in the area (deer, rabbit) and because the cougar exhibited normal behaviour by bolting, there is no need for concern,” he said. “For the most part, as soon as they hear you coming, they are going to be gone.”
However, due to the close proximity to the museum and walking trails he says the public needs to be aware. Warning signs were posted at the entrance to the Museum and an advisory was posted on the AlbertaParks.ca website.
    For more information check out Preventing Conflict with Wildlife.

Council Notes
From the regular meeting of Committee of the Whole Monday, March 29, 2016

Mayor Terry Yemen called the meeting to order.
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Councillor Tom Zariski spoke to Council about attending the Alberta Senior Communities & Housing Association (ASCHA) meeting on March 18. ASCHA represents 70% of the senior housing in Alberta, which houses over 30,000 seniors. There is now an online tool, to assist seniors with choosing their accommodations, housingdirectory.ascha.com, and this online site allows you to choose the area in which you want to live and the various amenities available at each seniors lodge. ASCHA’s main concerns and issues are the Provincial Housing Strategy, increasing costs at lodges, government relations, funding, budgets, infrastructure and stakeholder relations between Housing and Alberta Health Services. ASCHA energy program, powered by 8760, stated concerns on the increasing rates on natural gas and electrical utilities. Councillor Zariski also spoke of the valuable networking that was done with other communities.
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Meeting was adjourned.