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Last updateSat, 21 Sep 2024 12pm

Flood Mitigation holds Dike D community engagement

Drumheller Newspaper Ad Dike D

The Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office will hold an upcoming community engagement event, with both in-person and online events available.
The in-person engagement will take place based on Alberta Health Services (AHS) COVID-19 guidelines and will require proof of double vaccination or a private negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours, plus mandatory masking.
“Part of our municipal plan is a public education campaign to ensure our residents are informed,” says Flood Resiliency Project Director Deighen Blakely. “The Open House events encourage communication between the community and the Flood Mitigation Office, so residents have the chance to learn more about the upcoming projects and provide input to the design teams. It is also a great opportunity for residents to inquire about any questions or concerns they may have.”
The purpose of the Drumheller Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Office is to protect the people and property in Drumheller from loss due to flooding through a sensible model for a small community to adapt to the perils of changing climate. The project is a multi-hazard solution covering 100 kilometres of riverbank to reduce flooding and protect Drumheller into the 22nd Century.

Downtown Dike D Community Engagement Open House
Thursday, December 9
Zoom (online) 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
In-person 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the
Badlands Community Facility
Registration is open:
https://floodreadiness.drumheller.ca/be-informed/community-events/


Minister of Municipal Affairs responds to citizen flood mitigation petition

Copy of Drumheller council building

Town of Drumheller mayor and council have received a response from Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver regarding a petition requesting an inspection of the town’s flood mitigation program.
The Mail reported in May 2021 a group of concerned citizens had launched a petition requesting Municipal Affairs inspect the program over concerns about transparency, contract tendering, and appropriate spending of federal and provincial grant money; the town invited Municipal Affairs to review the program “in the spirit of full transparency” in June 2021, and in July an official was appointed by the Ministry to determine the sufficiency of the petition.
“In recognition of council’s actions to date, as well as acknowledging the results of the October 2021 general election, I will not be ordering an inspection at this time,” states the letter from Minister McIver dated Friday, November 12.
“Some inconsistencies” were noted regarding communication and transparency in the project, however, these concerns were “not of sufficient severity to warrant an inspection,” and the town has taken steps to improve project management and communications, including bringing in a new project manager and communications team.
Had Municipal Affairs decided to pursue the investigation, it is estimated it would have cost the town some $60,000 to $70,000, not including municipal time and resources spent.
While the town will not have to foot the cost of a full investigation, the process has not come without a cost.
“We did expend time and financial resources to get to this point,” Drumheller Chief Administrative Officer Darryl Drohomerski tells the Mail.
He estimates there was a cost of some $5,000 to $10,000 to the municipality in time and resources working with the communications team and project management.

Hussar Light Up the Night raises $1,500 for Hussar Crisis Fund

20211204 184451

The night was full of twinkling lights in the Village of Hussar on Saturday, December 4 as displays were lit up for the seventh annual Light Up the Night event. Funds raised from the event this year went to the Hussar Crisis fund, and the committee announced they had raised $1,500 and the winners of this year’s competition were Daun and Murray Brown. Displays will be up throughout the month of December. More displays can also be seen on the Hussar Light Up the Night Facebook page.


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