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Last updateSat, 21 Sep 2024 12pm

Drumheller Airport revitalization project complete, night flights resume

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Improvements to update the runway and install lighting at the Drumheller Municipal Airport has been completed and the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) regarding night flights has been lifted. However, although runway lights are operational, the windsock light is not and pilots are to continue using their instruments for weather data at this time. With the NOTAM lifted, night flights can resume at the airport, which will allow alternative transportation for medical patients in and out of the Drumheller valley. Dr. Rithesh Ram of Riverside Medical says the addition of lighting at the airport will allow doctors to stabilize patients at the Drumheller Health Centre “with the confidence that they will be able to get to a tertiary care centre within an appropriate timeframe.”

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Photos by Catherine and Patrick Bonneville


Morrin passes Property Tax bylaw

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Residents of the Village of Morrin should expect to see a small rise in taxes.
The Village passed its budget and its Mill Rate Bylaw. The Village has a budget of $584,801. This is up from last year’s budget of $535,002.
This leaves the total to be raised by municipal taxation of $197,000. This too is up from $190,000 in 2022.
The village saw its assessment increase, with a Residential Assessment of $13,537,860, up from $13,392,430 in 2022. The commercial assessment went up from $530,270 in 2022 to $623,160.
The Village set its mill rate at 13.34 per $1,000 assessment. This is up from 13.18 in 2022.
The total Alberta School Foundation requisition is $37,993.54. This total is down from $39,405. The Drumheller and District Senior Foundation requisition edged up slightly from $8,757.94 to $8.865.
CAO Annette Plachner tells the Mail, depending on the assessment, residents should expect to see a one to two per cent raise in taxes.
The 2023 Property Tax Bylaw was passed at its May 17 council meeting.

Drumheller council approves paid parking program

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A paid parking program within areas of the Drumheller community, which will help support additional pressures on existing infrastructure and services due to influxes of visitors to the valley, was approved by Drumheller town council during the regular Monday, June 5 council meeting.
The item had first come before the Committee of the Whole in February this year, and it was suggested paid parking could be implemented at several locations within the Town frequented by visitors; at the time, council directed administration to explore pay parking app systems to help reduce installation costs, and allow users to pay for parking electronically through their smartphone.
Hotspot Parking Inc. was awarded the contract in April, and it is anticipated the system and all signage will be implemented in July this year. Along with implementing the paid parking program, Hotspot would also manage a residential permit system which will exempt local Drumheller residents from the program.
Director of Protective Services Greg Peters explained Hotspot is charging $5,250 to manage the residential exemption portion of the program, and will also take some 15 per cent for the municipality’s use of the system.
The program would help to capture funding from more than a half million visitors who come to the region annually. While these visitors help to bolster the local economy, the influx also places additional demands and pressures on municipal services, infrastructure, and resources.
The program would include approximately 52 parking stalls at the World’s Largest Dinosaur, some 30 sites at the parking lot located at the corner of Riverside Drive West and 2 Street West across from the Rotary Splash Park, an estimated 220 parking stalls at Badlands Community Facility (BCF), and some 31 parking stalls in the parking lot behind the Town of Drumheller municipal building.
At this time, the program will not include parking in the downtown business core.
It is intended for the program to run during the height of the tourism season-between May 1 and October 31. Funds collected from the paid parking program would be used to help support existing services which face additional pressures due to the influx of tourists annually.
Mr. Peters explained during council discussions, although the initial direction was to explore paid parking options, the Town could miss the 2023 seasonal window for this program due to the time needed to set up the system and install signage, and it is anticipated the system should be fully ready to go by July.
The Town hopes to hold some community engagement sessions to communicate information about the parking program to residents and alleviate any concerns they may have about the program.
Council approved the request to implement the paid parking program.


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